Tell Him
by crimsonwingedkitten
Summary: Victoria has been accepted into the Kaiba family and things are looking up for her. But what happens when she encounters a situation from her past and nightmares begin to haunt her when she sleeps? OCxYami Yugi
1. Prologue

Hooray~ A new story ^_^

I don't own any of the YGO characters, just my own.

* * *

><p><span>Prologue<span>

Her voice squeaked in her laughter as she turned the corner, skidding along the carpet and onto the tiles to the side of the hallway – slipping in her knee high socks before she continued her chase. The black haired boy she was pursuing laughed as he gained some space between them as he turned another corner, but he slipped and ran into the wall. Crumpled on the floor he looked down the hallway as she advanced on him. Without hesitation he scrambled to his feet and ran for the door that would save him.

Just as he reached the doorknob and turned, her arms encircled his waist and they both tumbled into the room, falling into a heap on the plush carpet – and immediately burst into a fit of hysterical giggles.

"What are you two doing?"

Both of them looked up towards the other side of the room, where a familiar figure sat at a desk behind his laptop computer. Although he had spoken and most people would have been distracted he continued to skip his fingers over the keyboard.

"He started a game of chase." She replied simply.

"What?" The black haired boy exclaimed, struggling to escape her playful grasp. "You totally started it."

"I'm older, so I'm right." The girl stated, sticking her tongue out at him.

"And I'm older than the both of you." The figure from the desk stood up. "Mokuba, Victoria, this is my private study – I'm trying to work."

"Oh come on, Seto." Victoria teased, looking back up at him from under her dishevelled fringe of pinkish blonde hair with dark pink eyes. "Learn to have a little fun."

Seto walked around his desk, approaching the pair – who knew their fate and instantly detangled themselves from the other and tried to get to their feet in order to flee before their inevitable punishment. Though both of them knew that it wouldn't be harmful they still had no idea what he would do this time. Before Mokuba could get very far Seto slung his younger brother over his shoulder and then caught Victoria's wrist as she bolted for the door.

"I think you'll regret that comment, Tori." Seto informed her, dragging her out of the room with Mokuba still securely slung over his shoulder.

"Where are you taking us, Seto?" Mokuba demanded.

"You'll see soon enough." Seto replied. "I have something to show the both of you."

"Cookie Robots?" Mokuba exclaimed.

Seto raised an eye brow at his little brother and then shared a glance with Victoria who shrugged her shoulders. "Not quite." He replied. "It's much better than that."

"Tsk, tsk, Seto. Nothing is better than Robot Cookies." Victoria informed him.

"Not better than this." Seto assured her, releasing his hold on her arm to open a door he had led them to – as he did this he placed Mokuba back to his feet.

"Your invention room?" Victoria questioned – he hadn't led them very far, they were in the same hallway.

Seto nodded, swinging the door open to a room cluttered with organised chaos. "I've finished one of my updates and I think that the both of you will be very impressed."

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel?" Mokuba joked, following his brother into the room.

"It wasn't a selfish comment, Mokuba." Seto replied with a small smile, leading the way through the room, around tables with different unfinished inventions with computers spouting endless codes and information.

"What update were you working on, Seto?" Victoria asked.

For a moment he didn't reply – instead he turned to a table that was covered with a white sheet and pulled the sheet off to reveal a duel disk. "I was updating the duel disk and its systems."

"I thought there were no glitches with the duel disks." Mokuba said, looking at the new duel disk that was basically the same as the old one only a little sleeker. "And this doesn't look much different than the old design, other than the pink replacing the blue."

"There will always be new advances in technology." Seto explained. "Not only that I'm going to have duel disks manufactured with six new colours. Including the original there will be red, blue, green, yellow, white and black. And once more I'm in the process of creating smaller designs that are for children – everyone should be able to use a duel disk."

"That's such a cool idea." Victoria complimented. "I've met heaps of kids who want to use a duel disk."

Seto nodded. "Exactly."

"But you never said that any of the duel disks will be made in pink." Mokuba said, picking up the pink duel disk from the table.

"That is a special one of a kind duel disk – because someone special suggested it." Seto explained, taking the duel disk from his brother and turning to Victoria.

"What? But I was just kidding." Victoria stated, placing a hand to her hip.

"That doesn't matter. This is a gift to you – for giving me the idea of making duel disks different colours." Seto said to her, handing the duel disk over to her. "Besides, you need your own duel disk to defeat me."

Victoria stared up at him. "What?"

"This is your punishment for disrupting me." Seto said, walking towards the exit.

"What? But it was Moki who started it!"

"He's my blood brother, I'll always believe him over you. No offense." He said with a slightly playful smirk.

Mokuba stuck his tongue out at Victoria as he eagerly followed his brother out of the room.

Victoria stared after them, mouth agape before she quickly followed her adoptive brothers out of the room in order to teach her older brother a lesson he'd never forget.

Though she knew she couldn't really defeat him in a duel. He would always be better at the game than she was – no matter how much she practiced. But at least it was still fun to play, and with her own duel disk she could practice a lot more often.

Her life really had taken a look upwards since she'd joined the Kaiba family – but there was something in her heart that was somehow missing.


	2. Chapter One  Sister Hood

Chapter One – Sisterhood

Victoria yawned, rubbing her eye with the side of her knuckle, as she walked into the too large kitchen. She'd showered, tied her medium length hair into two ponytails hanging over her shoulders – as she always wore them – and dressed in a skirt, shirt and her favourite ankle high boots. But none of that had helped her wake up at all. Trudging her way over to the fridge she opened it and looked for the apple juice.

"You think you're tired?"

Victoria looked out from the fridge to see that Mokuba was sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal sitting in front of him. His hair was dishevelled and he looked terrible. Once more he was dressed in his school uniform. "Mokuba you look horrible."

"Yeah well, I've been up all night finishing my assignment for school."

"Mokuba." Victoria scolded. "You shouldn't do that!"

"I didn't have much choice. I left it for the last minute."Mokuba explained.

Victoria shook her head as she retrieved the apple juice from the fridge and then a glass from a nearby cupboard. "You should manage your time better. Maybe you can ask Seto about it. He'll help you out."

"Nah, I can't bother Seto, he's got too much to do right now – with the new duel disks he's organising and the Kaiba Land theme park to manage." Mokuba reminded her. "I can work it out by myself."

"How about I ask him then?" Victoria offered, giving Mokuba no opinion, as she poured apple juice into her glass and poured one for Mokuba. "What classes do you have today?"

"Maths, English, Science and History." Mokuba replied, sounding depressed about the idea.

"They sound pretty interesting." Victoria allowed. "History does at least."

"Not right now. We're just learning more about World War One – and I know enough about it already." Mokuba said, picking at his cereal.

"Mokuba, just learn to enjoy school while you still have the chance to go, okay? I would have loved to go to proper school – if I had I'd have other friends my age. As it is I only have you guys. Not that I mind that at all – but you have friends at school right?"

"Not heaps…most people see me as a Kaiba and think that I'm too uptight to accept a friendship – after all, Seto was that way for a long time." Mokuba replied. "But there is one person." He admitted.

"Oh?" Victoria asked, catching onto the tone of his voice. He had a crush. "Who is it?"

Mokuba flushed and opened his mouth to deny her when Roland walked in.

"Mokuba, it's time for you to go to school."

Mokuba didn't shut down that opportunity in a hurry. He leaped off his stool and after downing his glass of apple juice he embraced Victoria and ran for the door. "See ya later, Tori~!"

Victoria reached a hand out, but he was already gone. "Bye."

"Miss Kaiba, Mr Kaiba has asked you to meet him in his study once you have eaten." Roland informed her.

"Okay."

Roland bowed to her and then left after Mokuba to get him to school.

Victoria sighed with a weak yawn and began to prepare her breakfast. Knowing her older brother he hadn't eaten yet, she made him some food as well. She didn't know if he would end up eating it or not, but she'd rather give him the option. After she fried the eggs and buttered the toast she placed them onto two plates, refilled her glass and filled another with freshly made coffee. She sang a sweet little tune as she worked, the rhyming love story filling her heart with light as the words brought her the greatest joy.

Placing the plates and cups on a tray she continued to hum the same tune as she made her way towards Seto's study. She was a little peeved that he'd sent Roland to fetch her – she knew he was busy but he could just as easily send her a text or something. At least it gave her the chance to talk to Seto about Mokuba's study problems.

She had no free hands when she reached his study so she turned and used the heel of her boot to knock on it.

"Come in." His voice replied.

"I can't." She stated.

There was a long moment of silence before the door opened. His eyes widened a little when he noticed the tray in her hands. "What have you done now?" He asked.

"I made you breakfast. And I'm not leaving your study until you've eaten every last bit." Victoria informed him as she walked by him to place the tray down on his surprisingly clean desk and began to take the plates and cups off. "What did you want to see me about?"

Seto sighed as he sat down in his chair. "I need to travel to the other side of the country." He explained.

Victoria looked up from cutting her toast. "Excuse me?"

"The Kaiba Land theme park that's being built in California needs some onsite management from me."

"And why is that?" Victoria asked.

"Because the fools there aren't doing their jobs right." Seto replied, picking up his mug of coffee. "And I need to fix the mistakes they've made."

Victoria rolled her eyes and turned back to cutting up her toast. "Surely it's not too bad over there."

"Believe me, it is."

Victoria could only roll her eyes again as she scooped up a piece of toast and egg on her fork and promptly ate it. "So, you're going away. When do you go and how long for this time?"

"I can't be sure how long I will be." Seto replied. "But I will be leaving at the end of the week."

"That's three days." Victoria stated. "Before you go would you make some time to talk to Mokuba about managing his time?" She asked.

Seto looked up from cutting up his breakfast. "What do you mean?"

"Mokuba didn't sleep at all last night because he had an assignment due – he did all of it last night which I admit is a feat all on its own, but he shouldn't be doing that too himself." Victoria explained. "Do you think you'd be able to give him some tips for him to be able to work out when to work and when to play?"

"That might be my fault that he's done that." Seto admitted.

Victoria's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"When I was working towards getting Kaiba Corp. back onto its feet after changing its sights from army technology into gaming technology I spent many sleepless nights working out the kinks." Seto explained to her. "Of course I don't need to do that anymore – but Mokuba might think it's the best way to go about his work. I'll speak with him when he returns from school – but I might need your assistance in keeping whatever I set out for him in order."

Victoria nodded. "I just don't know how to set out a study timetable otherwise I would do it myself. I can follow one if it's provided for me."

"Then I'll find some spare time to set up a draft that I can talk with him about this afternoon." Seto allowed. "It would have been better if he'd asked me himself."

"He didn't want to bother you – he knows you're busy. So I offered." Victoria explained with a smile. "This just proves that he's always thinking about you and trying to make things easier for you."

"I do trust that the two of you will be okay without me?"

"Are you kidding? We'll be throwing a massive party." Victoria replied with a wide grin.

Seto allowed a small smile at her joke.

"You think I'm kidding?" She challenged.

"Nothing happens in this house without me knowing about it." Seto stated.

. : . : . : .

With breakfast eaten and Seto off to the Kaiba Corp. office Victoria settled into the studio Seto had set out for her. It was much smaller than his office – as she had requested – and had perfect lighting for what she used it for. Scattered around the floor and desks were hundreds of sheets of paper – some in folders, some in sketch pads and others just lying in messy piles. Her studio was much the same as Seto's invention room only hers was less organised than his chaos.

As she entered she stepped between discarded sketches that she just hadn't wanted to completely destroy by putting them through the rarely used shredder in the corner. Once she reached the desk where her main drawing supplies were scattered in all places across the beech wood table top she pushed some papers off the cushioned seat and sat down – tucking her short skirt under her legs as she did so.

Lately she'd been working her way through her deck and sketching each monster card within it – but she was nearing the end of her deck and didn't know where she was going to draw her inspiration from next. She supposed she would work on that once she had finished her goal.

She yawned again as she reached to her deck case attached to the waistband of her skirt and pulled out her deck, she sifted through the cards until she found the ones she hadn't drawn yet and laid them out on the desk above the sketch pad she had open. She was moving on instinct as she reached for a pencil, sharpened it in the electric sharpener and as she placed the lead to paper she switched on the desktop computer. Once the computer was warmed up she opened her music player and set her current playlist on to a suitable volume so that the Pop-Rock played through the speakers set up in the four corners of the room.

As always she lost complete track of the time as her pencil danced across the page in time with the upbeat tunes that filled the room and echoed through the hallways of the mansion.

It wasn't until there was a knock on her studio door that she realised she'd completely missed lunch. "Mokuba? You're back already?" She asked, turning down her music.

Mokuba nodded, stepping through the maze of papers and up to her desk. "It's half past three, Tori."

Victoria flushed. "Oh, whoops."

"You always forget the time." Mokuba said with an amuse laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. So how was your day?" Victoria asked.

Mokuba shrugged. "It was good enough."

"Did you hand in that assignment?"

Mokuba nodded. "D-did you talk to Seto?"

Victoria nodded. "He's going to talk to you this afternoon and he'll work things out, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks, Tori."

"Hey, no worries." Victoria said, standing from her chair. "Let's go get something to eat."

"Finally feeling the hunger huh?" Mokuba teased.

Victoria pouted as she walked out of her studio. "Shut up."

. : . : . : .

Once she'd prepared a small afternoon tea she forced Mokuba to get his homework out and work on it at the kitchen table so that she knew he wasn't slacking off.

"But Seto is going to set up a timetable, isn't he?" Mokuba complained as he worked his way through another Maths equation.

"That doesn't mean I'm not going to make you work until you have it." Victoria stated, stirring her tea lazily as she watched over his work. She didn't know much about Mathematics and she wasn't as smart as her two brothers, but she knew enough to know if he'd worked out an equation correctly or not. So far he was doing brilliantly.

As Victoria sipped her tea Seto entered the kitchen – she flashed a glance at the clock on the wall. "You're home earlier than usual." She commented as he walked over to them.

"I said that I was going to make time to talk to Mokuba, didn't I?" Seto asked. "So I left Kaiba Corp. early."

"Really?" Mokuba asked.

Seto smiled to his brother, placing a hand on his back. "Of course. Why don't you take your school books and assignment sheets to my study and we'll work out your timetable. I'll be with you in a moment."

Mokuba nodded and picked up the books on the table and his school backpack from the floor before leaving the kitchen.

"He's so happy that you're taking time out for him, he's not exactly hiding that joy though." Victoria said with a giggle. "He's as smart as you though, Seto, that's for sure."

"Of course he is. He'd be smarter though if he decided to go to the school I suggested – he wanted to go to Domino High though."

"Of course he did. That's the school you attended, wasn't it?"

"For legal sakes, yes. I chose that school so that I didn't have to do anything to get by." Seto replied.

Victoria shrugged. "He seems perfectly happy with that school though. I think it suits him better – he prefers being around regular people and I can't blame him to be honest. Regular people usually have much more personality."

Seto shrugged and sighed. "Unfortunately I don't have much time to give Mokuba – as much as I would love to give him more, so I had better go." Without much thought he brushed a swift kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you at dinner."

Victoria heard nothing more even as he left the kitchen; her heart was pounding so loud that it resounded in her ears. Her cheeks flushed red and she tried to focus her actions on stirring her tea. He'd never been that affectionate before – if he ever was it was towards Mokuba than towards her. There had been brief embraces and allowing her to clutch at his hand when she needed. But he had never kissed her before – as brief and nonchalant as that had been it still stirred up forbidden feelings in the pit of her stomach.

She smacked a hand to her face and shook her head causing her two ponytails to flap against her jaw.

Why did he have to keep confusing her?

When she met him she thought he was attractive – any fool would admit that. But then, even though he was thoroughly cool towards her for a long time after she'd moved in, he eventually warmed up to her presence and looked after her just as well as he cared for Mokuba. However, as much as she told herself that the attraction she felt for Seto was that of sisterly love a part of her knew she was only lying to herself.

Giving up she lay her forehead against the cool granite table top.

. : . : . : .

Dinner that night was extremely awkward for her, though she had always possessed the ability to conceal all of that so neither of her brothers knew.

"Did you finish sorting out that timetable?" Victoria asked, focusing the question to Mokuba more than Seto.

Mokuba nodded with a side smile. "And Seto taught me how to make my own in the future for other assignments and homework. Hopefully there won't be any more all nighters for me."

"Better not, Mokuba." Victoria warned him. "Did you give him a bedtime on that timetable?" She asked Seto.

"Yes. He gets a later bedtime on Friday and Saturday." Seto explained. "I ask that you make sure he sticks to it while I am away."

Victoria gave him a thumbs up. "No need to tell me twice. And if he complains he'll get an even earlier bedtime." She grinned at Mokuba who paused half way through putting food into his mouth. The food promptly slipped off his fork and onto his plate which caused Victoria to instantly burst into a spout of giggles – the moment was completely comical. "Don't worry, Mokuba, I know you won't complain." She reassured him with a wink.

Seto smiled a little. "Now, I could be away for a few days but I could even be away for a few weeks – I'll be sure to call on the day or two before I'll be returning to let you know."

Victoria nodded. "Okay."

"Roland will still be here to escort Mokuba to school and back and keep an eye on everything as always."

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Believe it or not, Seto, Mokuba and I can take care of ourselves. At least I know I can – I never failed before."

"Hey!" Mokuba complained.

She stuck her tongue out at him which resulted in a further battle of childish insulting and playful name calling.

Seto sighed silently. The family had certainly become louder since the addition of Victoria. She complimented the playful side the Mokuba needed, but under all of that she knew when to be serious and he knew she had every ability to watch out for herself and his little brother. If that hadn't been the case he'd have taken Mokuba with him – school or not his brother wouldn't be left unprotected.

For a short while she had been quiet and reserved around him, nervous of his presence she'd explained later, but soon enough she was just as loud and playful around him as she was around Mokuba and greeted him just as Mokuba always did – and still does out of the public eye.

He knew it had been a good move to follow his gut and change her destiny – her path of life was certainly straight now, though not always easy.

"Victoria." He stated, catching her attention as she was making a pig face at Mokuba. He bit back the snort of laughter at her surprised pig expression and continued. "Have you gotten a reply from Pegasus yet?"

Victoria dropped her finger from her nose and shook her head. "I'm not surprised, he must be pretty busy. I'll just wait another week or two before emailing him again."

Seto nodded. "Understood. I don't think he'd shut down a person of your talent so quickly."

Victoria blushed a little, smiling. "I hope not. I would be good to begin earning my keep here."

"Hey!" Mokuba exclaimed. "We've told you before, Tori. Money doesn't mean a thing. We can pay for anything you need."

"That's not the point Mokuba. One day I will have to leave this place and I want to make sure I can do that on my own without your assistance – as much as I would certainly appreciate it nonetheless. It's just a moral I have, I guess."

"More than morals, it's also a very smart move." Seto agreed. "If she can't earn the money to move out how would she be able to earn the money to remain living on her own – or with company?"

Mokuba nodded slowly with understanding. "Oh, okay."

"No worries, Mokuba, I won't be moving out any time soon. I still need to get onto my feet before I can even consider it. Moving out was just an example."

"Good, 'cause I don't want you to leave, not yet anyways." Mokuba admitted determinedly. "I still need to beat you at a duel before you can even think about leaving."

Victora blinked then looked at Seto. "It looks like I'm never going to be moving out."

"Hey!"

. : . : . : .

It didn't take long for the week to come to an end, Victoria still hadn't heard from Pegasus and Seto was leaving for California. As always he packed very little and waited at the front door of the mansion for Victoria and Mokuba to come and bid him fair well.

It was a part of the routine of his trips that the pair knew well enough. So they made a habit of showing up late just to tease him.

Victoria and Mokuba waited around the corner from the large foyer as they waited for Seto to call for them once more. For some reason he kept forgetting that they made a habit of hiding until he grew annoyed with them. Unless he knew and only played along.

"I'm leaving now!" Seto called.

Mokuba broke first. "Wait~!" He cried, jumping out and running to his brother to embrace him.

Seto hugged his brother back and called out to Victoria. "I know you're there."

Victoria giggled as she appeared. "I guess you're more impatient than usual this time around." She assumed, walking over to accept the invitation Mokuba gave her to the group hug.

"The sooner I leave the sooner I can come back." Seto stated, enveloping one of his arms around her and keeping the other secure around Mokuba. "Now if there is anything that you need just call. I'll always be available."

Victoria nodded. Seto leaving was hurting her more than she was letting on. That forbidden feeling in her chest was still aching to be released – but she kept it hidden. Of course it was painful, but he would be coming back so she saw no need to be so worried. "Have a save trip." She said, a hint of warning in her request.

"Always." He replied, tightening the embrace for a moment before he released them and walked out the door.

"Bye Seto~!" Mokuba called, running to the door to watch as Seto got into the waiting limo and was driven away.

Once the car was out of sight, Victoria came up behind Mokuba and wound her arms around his shoulders. "You ready for some Seto-Free mischief?"

"What kind of mischief?"

"The kind where we eat desert before dinner and have sweets for breakfast."

Mokuba laughed. "Sure."

"Okay, go and get dressed and I'll get into making pancakes before you go to school."

He nodded and headed off up the stairs and towards the living quarters of the mansion.

Victoria chuckled softly as she walked towards the kitchen, the subtle scent of Seto's cologne still wafting through her senses. Determinedly she shook her head. What was wrong with her?

She was only his adoptive sibling – legally at least – and even if it came to feelings it would still be morally wrong for anything to happen between them romantically. And the more she thought about that the more she felt her chest tighten in pain. And she knew that eventually Seto would find solace in a young woman who would be perfect for him and her heart would be broken – with no one knowing at all. And even if he didn't she would never be able to make any actions on her feelings.

So either way, her heart wasn't going to escape unharmed.

. : . : . : .

It was times when Seto was away that her head became a little clearer. Her mind knew the difference between 'love' and 'romance'. These were the times when she could confidently tell herself that she wasn't falling for him.

She turned to her desktop computer, the widescreen monitor lighting up the room and did a web search for an image of the Blue Eyes White Dragon. She'd found a way to inspire herself – it was his birthday soon so she was going to sketch him something special. She'd sketched a Blue Eyes for him before, but this picture was going to be even more detailed and more elaborate than that one had been. Besides the fact that she was going to put all three into the image.

Once she found all the references she needed she made her way over to her sketch pad collection desk and found one of the larger sketch pads and switched it with the regular sized pad she'd been using before. She set the pad up on a large and extremely steady easel and pressed play on her music. She sharpened a new pencil and prepared her knead-able rubber along with a few coloured pencils – three tones of blue, two greys and a black.

She was ready to work.

All of her life she'd been drawing duel monsters, continually practicing and perfecting her style – though she was still working there was no denying that she had become a top notch artist. So much so that Seto suggested that she scan and email some examples of her work to Maxmillian Pegasus with a request for work along with a resume which was ridiculously short and probably wouldn't get her very far. Seto reassured her that the surname on the email should interest him enough to boost her up on the list.

Victoria hoped that he was right.

If she had the chance to design duel monsters cards then she would gain some incredible notice from the duelling community. Not to mention some individuality and pride. Working to get money of her own was something that she had never done before and it was the perfect opportunity for her.

She certainly didn't want to end up sketching caricatures of people on the side of the street.

That would just be embarrassing.

Once she had finished the general outline of the dragons and where each was going to be she began to properly sketch out their shape and details, keeping an eye on her references as she went. As always, her pencil moved to the beat of her music and by the time the sun began to set the complete lineart of the dragons had been formed. Each dragon was half hidden by another in some way, giving the impression that all three were fighting to be the focus of the image.

Tiredly and feeling stiff she stretched her arms above her head and cracked the bones in her fingers and knuckles. She yawned slightly as she stood up and walked towards the door of her study. Mokuba hadn't come to see her, but she assumed that he was already implementing the timetable that Seto had organised for him.

As she approached Mokuba's room she noticed that his door was hanging ajar and being as sneaky as she could she peeked in, gaining a perfect view of his desk where he was typing away at his laptop computer, checking some sheets as he worked and occasionally checked his phone when it vibrated.

Victoria cleared her throat as she completely opened the door, Mokuba freezing mid-text as she stared over at her. "If you have a good excuse I won't punish you."

Mokuba smiled weakly. "It's one of my friends at school. She's just asking for help on one of our assignments. I'm still working, see. I've finished my Math's homework already and I've done some of the science assignment."

"Which assignment are you working on now?" Victoria asked, forgetting the text on purpose.

"History. I'm typing up the draft essay I wrote today in my study free." Mokuba replied. "This timetable is working heaps well. I might even finish my assignments long before they are due now."

"It's only the first day. You might begin to slack off. Just keep at it, okay?" Victoria requested.

"Sure."

"So, what would you like for desert?" She asked.

Mokuba laughed. "How about regular ice cream?"

Victoria poked her tongue out playfully. "That's a little boring. I'll go find any suitable toppings. Then we'll have super ice cream."

"Awesome~!"

"Finish typing up that draft and come to the kitchen okay?"

Mokuba nodded, but as Victoria was about to leave he called out to her.

"Hmm? What's up?" She asked, facing him again.

"Thanks…for not taking my phone."

Victoria winked. "You're helping a friend – I wouldn't expect any less from you, Mokuba."

With a slight skip in her step she wandered off down the hall and to the kitchen, searching through the pantry and fridge for any and all toppings that could go with ice cream. She found chocolate chips and cookies, liquid toppings in chocolate, strawberry and caramel flavours. Along with sprinkles of five kinds and Oreos. As she placed the toppings on the kitchen table she shook her head, wondering why a family like the Kaiba's kept such food. But then again, Mokuba was a part of that family.

Just as she was downing a glass of water, Mokuba walked into the kitchen, changed from his uniform and looking highly excited. "Hey Tori~!" He greeted.

"Hey, Moki." Victoria replied, searching into the freezer to fetch the tub of vanilla ice cream. "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely."


	3. Chapter Two  Lonely Fears

Chapter Two – Lonely Fears

Victoria was searching.

Searching for _anything_ to do. It was Saturday, Mokuba was working on an assignment and she had nothing else to do. She was giving the Blue Eyes sketch a break for the moment and was going to do something different. She wandered into the living room and over to the large screen television. She sank to the carpeted floor in front of the cabinet under the television and opened one of the long draws, running a finger over the DVD titles. Finding nothing she wanted to watch she closed the drawer and opened another, skimming over the DVD titles again – and again she found nothing of interest to her. She sighed and closed that drawer only to open another one. Those were all documentaries and they were definitely of no interest so she simply closed it. She searched the side cupboard, opening the door to see some extra titles, but these were all different. They were almost like homemade DVDs which seemed a little pointless for the Kaiba's. Each was numbered and had a date on them. Some of the earlier ones were on the same days and others had months and months between them. And there were some DVDs that had dates from just the month before.

She picked up the earliest one and noticed that date would make herself fifteen when it was recorded. She placed the DVD into the player and turned the television on, walking back to the lounge opposite it and sat down. There was a long moment of time when the screen showed nothing but black, but then light shone out of the screen and the duel arena in the Kaiba Corp. building appeared and two people beginning a duel. There was no doubt that one of them was Seto, wearing the Domino High school uniform, but the other person was a complete mystery to her.

The whole duel seemed one sided for a long time, Seto was tearing though the opponents defences – and then Seto finally stated his name in the process of insulting and belittling him.

So that was Yugi Motou.

And then, with no warning what so ever, Yugi summoned Exodia. She couldn't believe it. Seto was completely washed away by the Exodia card – there was nothing he could do to prevent the attack. Whoever this Yugi person was, he was powerful.

She just had to learn more.

She searched for the next DVD which was a few months away from the first DVD and it read 'Battle City' on it along with the number. Victoria only knew that Battle City was a tournament that Seto had held three years ago. If her suspicions were right, each and every one of the DVDs in the cupboard were videos of duels that this Yugi person had fought – and obviously won or Seto wouldn't have bothered.

As she watched DVD after DVD she discovered that her theory was right – every one was of this Yugi person and after the Kaiba Corp. Grand Championship tournament final there were suddenly two of them. This startled her immensely.

"Uuum, Tori, what are you doing?"

Victoria jumped half way through the duel between Yugi – now being called Yami for some unexplained reason – and a random person at a tournament. "Oh, hi Mokuba. How are your assignments going?"

"Well. Why are you watching these?" Mokuba asked.

"I was bored." Victoria replied. "Who is this Yugi guy? Seto must be a little hung up on him." She said with a cheeky grin.

Mokuba sat down on the lounge beside her. "To an extent. Yugi is one of the only duellists that Seto has lost to. Over and over again. He made these DVDs so that he could study Yugi's strategies."

"Okay, I can get that. But after the DVD at the KC Grand Championships Final there are two Yugi's – I can get that he has a brother or something, but the guy that looks like the Yugi in the DVDs prior is suddenly being called 'Yami' and the smaller guy is being called 'Yugi'." Victoria stated. "How does that work?"

Mokuba made a face as he worked out how to reply. "I'm not sure on most of it – but apparently Yugi had two minds in his body for an amount of time."

Victoria stared at him disbelievingly.

"Yeah I know, I didn't believe it either – not until I witnessed the duel between the two Yugi's. One was the original, who is still being called Yugi the other was a Pharaoh who had been locked in the Millenium Puzzle for five thousand years until Yugi put the puzzle together and they were suddenly joined."

"Mokuba, that's really weird."

Mokuba nodded. "It's hard to explain. But after the duel, even though the Pharaoh side of Yugi – who called himself Yami – lost the duel as he was supposed to in order to go back to his time it was still too late." He explained. "But the priests of that time appeared and gave him a body of his own so that he could continue to live. That's what they said they did anyway." He paused and looked at her. She was still confused. "I wouldn't expect you to believe the words – but I witnessed it all and so did Seto. What matters is that there is Yugi and there is Yami. They used to share a body but Yami gained his own. Can you believe that much?"

"I can handle it." Victoria replied and then looked back at the screen as the duel was continuing. "He's got such an incredible fighting spirit, doesn't he?"

"Yeah. He always says that it's his friends that help him to win. And the heart of the cards."

Victoria chuckled. "I noticed that – but I mean that he never gives up. It's absolutely admirable."

Mokuba shrugged. "He's a great duellist, not many people can continually defeat Seto after all."

"I'd love to duel him." Victoria admitted. "It would be a fantastic experience."

"I'm afraid I can't help you there." Mokuba informed her. "I haven't spoken to Yugi or Yami for nearly three years. You might have to ask Seto, but I seriously think you should consider avoiding that."

"He holds a grudge huh?"

Mokuba sighed. "Seto might be nicer then before and he certainly smiles more often, but he still can't accept that another person is a better duellist than he is." He shrugged. "He's just stubborn I guess."

Victoria caught her brother in a head lock. "You're not any better, Mokuba." She scolded playfully, rubbing her knuckles into the top of his head.

"Hey! OW!"

. : . : . : .

After they had eaten dinner that night, Victoria went to her studio and sat at her desk, moving the easel with the Blue Eyes sketch on it to make room for her A4 sized sketch pad. She turned to her computer and typed 'Yugi Motou' into a search engine. The images that appeared were of the smaller one. She ground her teeth together and changed the first name to 'Yami'. She was instantly provided with hundreds – if not millions – of photos of the duellist who appeared to be very popular among women – though a blog of a die-hard fan informed her that he seemed disinterested in finding romance. And on an official duellist site found that Yami Motou was the top duellist to beat since Yugi Motou retired from tournaments. Seto was in second place. She could only imagine that seeing such a list would stab deeply into Seto's pride – she immediately planned not to tell Seto about the research she was doing.

The rush of inspiration was like nothing she had ever felt before – she chose to draw some of Yami's signature monster cards, but it soon drew too late and she had to retire to bed.

But not without taking a spare sketch pad and pencil with her.

. : . : . : .

A long and tear bringing yawn broke through her lips.

She'd made the satisfying mistake of sketching very early into the morning – so long that her sight became blurred and when she woke she was sitting back against her pillows with the sketch pad in her lap and pencil in her hand. She laughed slightly at herself in amusement. It had been years since she'd stayed up so late – and it earned her a teasing from Mokuba that morning when he had dragged her out of bed.

Mokuba was back at work again, getting stuck into his almost finished assignments before he could take the whole afternoon off – as per the timetable Seto had made for him. Victoria had decided to set out for a long walk into the mall downtown, maybe find a good art supplies store and stock up on some items or maybe even a Duel Monsters card store before heading back to the mansion.

The store lined streets were surprisingly busy for a late Sunday morning – they were bustling with a whole variety of people. Being an artist she was a natural observer. She noticed just about everything she saw, smelled and heard in heightened clarity. The face of each person became temporarily imprinted in her mind each time she walked by them, there were completely clueless tourists, students enjoying their day off school, shop helpers handing out fliers to anyone who would stop long enough to listen, parents with insistent young children, elderly couples hobbling along the street, people walking their dogs – and all of it was accompanied by the continuous buzz of their chatter and conversations.

In addition to the conversations were voices being projected through speakers announcing the sales of stores where everything had to go, the windows of the stores were bright posters advertising the savings even further. Along with that was the hissing of coffee machines and clatter of cutlery in the cafés that she passed. Unfortunately, outside of the cafés were those who had the unhealthy habit of smoking and the breeze blew the horrific fumes towards her, causing her to cough and splutter.

Covering her mouth and nose she quickly passed the group of smokers and continued towards the art store. Once she was inside the regular sized store she was overjoyed to be encased in the aroma of paints, canvas and paper. She was immediately at home among the countless art supplies and she lost herself in the aisles – simply browsing as most of the supplies she would never use.

She bought a set of colourfully decorated pencils with fun chains hanging from the tips and left the store, and was promptly startled as a balloon animal was shoved in front of her face. She yelped slightly in shock, clutching to the strap of her shoulder bag in fright as the grinning clown insisted that she take the badly made balloon animal. She gulped weakly – she'd always had an irrational fear of clowns. There was something about the way they were dressed and wore their makeup that unsettled the pit of her stomach. This guy was particularly creepy – he was clearly too old to be a regular clown, tall and lanky, but he looked as though he could easily keep her from running if she tried, his red expression makeup was set into a sleazy expression and the way he was smiling was really off. Not to mention the greasy hair that hung off his head.

"No thank you." Victoria said, her voice shaking a little. "Give it to a young kid, they'll appreciate it a little more than I will."

As she went to walk around him, his hand took a hold of her wrist and he roughly tugged her back, breathing his horrendous breath into her face. "You're not going anywhere, pretty girl."

Okay, not only was he a clown but he was a paedophile and a cradle robber. And his lips were getting way to close to hers.

She shut her eyes tightly, turning her head away. She wanted anyone but this guy to be her first kiss – and instantly Seto came to her desperate and scattered mind. "Let me go." Victoria stated, trying to find the strength in her fear to scream.

"Not this time." The old clown wheezed. "It's so crowded here that no one will notice you vanish."

She blanched. 'This time'? She shook that out of her head. She had no time to worry about a comment like that. "I have friends in high places; if you dare do anything to me you'll be facing more than you can deal with." Victoria warned him, deciding not to tell him she was legally related to the Kaiba's just yet.

"Oh I'll be in the wind long before anyone can do anything about your fate." He hissed.

"I think not!"

The clown suddenly doubled over, releasing Victoria's wrist as he held both hands around his stomach.

Victoria, being rather short to the point that even Mokuba was soon to tower over her, she looked up at the young woman who had just come to her aid. She was a brunette with her hair cropped neatly to her shoulders, brilliant blue eyes which were now glowering dangerously at the gasping clown.

"It seems I've knocked the wind out of you – oh and by the way, I've already notified some nearby security guards who will hold you until the police arrive to get rid of your sorry ass." Victoria's saviour stated, standing in front of Victoria defensively. "And take your sick little balloon friend with you."

As two security guards came over and took hold of the clown's upper arms to keep him in custody, the young woman turned to Victoria, her gaze softening.

"Are you okay?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes, thank you."

The young woman frowned sympathetically as she reached into her handbag and offered Victoria a light blue handkerchief. "Here, try your tears, it'll alright now."

Victoria started. She was crying? She raised a hand to her cheek and found the stream of a recently fallen tear. Without a word she accepted the handkerchief and wiped the tears away. "Thanks again. That was kinda scary."

"Hey, no worries." The young woman assured her. "I've handled weirder creeps before."

Victoria looked over at where the clown was being held, he was staring at her. "Can we go somewhere else?"

The young woman followed her gaze. "Yeah, sure. I know something that will make you feel heaps better. Come on." She said, leading Victoria further down the street. "My name is Téa by the way, what's yours?"

"I'm Victoria."

"It's nice to meet you, though the circumstances could have been better." Téa said.

"Yeah, I think my fear of clowns was just escalated."

"Clowns are pretty icky huh?" Téa asked. "So, what are you doing in town today?" She asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"Not much. I haven't had much of a chance to explore this part of town yet."

"Oh? Did you just move into Domino recently?" Téa asked.

Victoria nodded. "If you mean recently being two years?"

"That's pretty recent compared to me. I've lived in Domino my whole life."

"Wow, lucky."

Téa chuckled. "Yeah I guess. Where were you living before you moved to Domino?"

Victoria looked down. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. Forget I asked."

"Nah it's okay." Victoria assured her, smiling. "Just a place far away from here, that's all. I'm trying to forget about it."

"I guess there's a time when we have to run away from something, isn't there?"

Victoria nodded.

"Oh yes." Téa suddenly announced, dramatically changing the subject. "Smell that? We're getting close."

Victoria raised her head a little and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything."

"You will soon enough." Téa said. "It's the best way to forget about something bad. Well, I should say it's 'one of the best ways'."

Victoria tilted her head to the side, but willingly followed the woman who had saved her life.

"Yes, there's no line, come on, quickly. My treat." Téa said, running ahead.

Victoria quickly followed Téa to the nearby Corn on the Cob stand. She couldn't help but be utterly confused as Téa bought and paid for two corn cobs on long wooden skewers.

"Here."

Victoria raised an eye brow at the food and then at Téa. "Uum?"

"Trust me. It's warm and coated in butter – it's almost as good as a tub of triple chocolate ice cream."

Victoria giggled. Téa had a great sense of humour. She took a bite into the steaming corn and it squirted, much to her amusement, right up into her face. "Whoops." She muttered, wiping the oily substance off.

"That just means these are good ones." Téa explained. "So, what were your plans for today?"

"Well I was hoping to find a Duel Monster's store around here." Victoria admitted, she knew it was a little strange for a girl to be so into the game so she felt a little ridiculous.

"I know where one is near here. My friends go there all the time." Téa said. "Come on, I'll show you."

"Really? Thanks. My brother keeps getting packs for me so I've never bought any myself." This was partly a lie. She'd find the cards she needed online and Seto would get them for her. It wasn't cheating, it was getting the right cards for her strategy. But she wanted to get some surprises this time around so buying a pack or two would be a good investment.

"That's nice of him. Three of my best friends are into the game and they play all the time. I've played once or twice and I have a deck – but they've all played competitively while I'd rather cheer them on." Téa explained.

Victoria smiled. "I've only played against my brothers. My older one is brilliant, while I've become better than my younger brother." She wished she'd bit her tongue – she'd already said too much.

"A duelling family, huh? That's impressive."

"Thanks." Victoria muttered and focused on eating her corn.

After walking several yards down the mall street and finished their corn they came by a decorated shop with posters depicting various Duel Monsters slapped in the windows and the walls inside. It wasn't big and there weren't many people inside, but Téa happily led the way in. "Not many people know about this place, but it's one of the best places to get cards for a reasonable price." She said softly so the store owner couldn't hear her from his place standing at the counter.

Victoria barely heard when the store owner greeted them; she was too amazed by the sight of the store. She knew instantly that it was a safe place to be. She looked over the several shelves with figurines and different themed packs of cards.

She anxiously checked the time. "Ugh, I can't hang around for much longer."

"Oh?"

"I have a lift coming to get me in about ten minutes. I'll have to be fast." Victoria explained, searching for the theme of cards she needed and picked up one of the packs and ran up to the counter and quickly bought the pack with some of the spending cash Seto provided for her weekly.

As they exited the store the girls farewelled and thanked the store owner and then began to walk back the way they came.

"Which way are you headed?" Victoria asked as they reached a 'T' in their path.

"I need to head right, I'm meeting up with my friends." Téa replied.

"My lift is left." Victoria stated, a little sadly. She'd kind of wanted to talk to Téa more – she hadn't spoken to a female friend in a long time. "It was nice meeting you Téa."

"You too, Victoria. We might meet again, you never know."

Victoria nodded and they both went their separate ways.

. : . : . : .

She gasped awake.

It had only been a few days and the nightmares hadn't died away. The same creepy clown from that Sunday had become settled into her subconscious and haunted her no matter what she tried to do. Of course she hadn't told Mokuba any of it – not even about Téa.

It was better if she kept the whole day to herself so she wouldn't slip up in any way.

Turning to look at the time she groaned. It was _way_ too early to be awake. Grumbling to herself and knowing that she wasn't going back to sleep any time soon she threw a jacket over her set of tank top and long pants and then slipped on some warm socks. October had bought cooler weather and being five in the morning didn't help with the temperature of the large mansion.

She'd been putting off working on Seto's present, though she was beginning to think about him constantly now – hoping for him to return as soon as he could. Maybe when he came back the nightmares would go away. With still groggy eyes, but a mind that was very wide awake, she walked to her studio, blindly wandering through her maze in the dark and quickly woke her computer up to illuminate the desk and the book seated on it.

From the pack of new cards she had gotten she had gotten a few useful monsters that would assist her strategy and would successfully confuse her opponent because they didn't match the theme of her deck at all. Hopefully she would be able to summon them in the first few rounds – if not they would still be helpful in some way. She'd also gained a few spell and trap cards that would also be put to use in her deck. During the week she'd been sketching the new monsters cards and when her mind wandered she would sketch a picture of Seto.

Which she would have to instantly put through the shredder to avoid them being discovered.

She was getting in way too deep and she knew it – he wasn't even in the state and she was having problems. Usually she could handle her feelings better when he was away, but that wasn't the case this time around.

She looked over at the sketch of the three Blue Eyes White Dragons and sighed. The way she was feeling now she would never get it finished. She was just feeling too low and no amount of sketching would be able to fix that problem. And on top of that there was still the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that told her the way she was feeling wasn't right.

And that only made her feel worse.

With the frustration and tiredness fuelling her, she picked up a pencil and began to sketch on the nearest sheet of blank paper.

. : . : . : .

By the time the sun had begun to rise she had drawn some of the ugliest monsters in the Duel Monster's card game. Each and every one of them staring darkly at her from the papers she had drawn them on. Usually she avoided sketching the monsters that she deemed ugly – though she was capable to sketching them – because she didn't like filling her pages with such angry looking beasts.

Gladly, their appearances had been the perfect way to channel some anger out of her head.

But it hadn't taken enough.

"Tori?"

At the sound of Mokuba's voice, Victoria turned, finding him standing in the doorway, still dressed in his pyjamas and rubbing one of his eyes with the side of his fist.

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked, he'd obviously just woken up.

"Oh, no reason. I just felt like drawing, that's all." Victoria replied.

"But you're crying."

Victoria was stunned and felt her cheeks. "Darn it." She muttered, turning away to wipe them away. "They're just watering, Mokuba. This always happens in the morning. It just looks like I'm crying that's all."

By the time she'd finished lying to him, he'd walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I miss Seto, too."

Shocked, she looked at him.

"I miss him every time he goes away – especially now that he won't take me with him anymore. I know it's because I have school work to do and I have you to keep me company…" He trailed off for a long moment and then sighed. "But he'll always come back, because he loves us." He reasoned.

Simple and easy. Mokuba had it all figured out.

Unable to believe herself, her bottom lip began to tremble and further tears leaked from her eyes. Crossing her arms over the images on her desk she slammed her head against them and began to sob. "Mokuba, I'm so confused. I don't know what to think anymore." She admitted. "For two years I thought I knew how I felt about everything in my life but now…I just don't know anymore."

"That will always happen. Nothing ever stays the same. Everything changes all the time. I mean, when Seto and I were kids, he used to smile all the time. And then when we were adopted he stopped smiling…at least the way he used to." Mokuba explained. "When he smiled it was because he had conquered another obstacle in business. And after he'd gotten to the top he basically never smiled. Ever. But I'm glad because he met Yugi and his friends and after a long while Seto began to smile again. He smiles more now than he ever did before we were adopted and I'm glad that you came into our lives – because you make him smile." He laughed lightly. "And you make me smile too."

Victoria sniffled and slowly sat up, embracing her little brother. "Thank you, Mokuba."

"Do you think you could make me pancakes?"

Victoria pulled back and looked at him. "You're unbelievable!"

"But no one makes pancakes like you do!" Mokuba reasoned.

Victoria laughed. He made her smile too. "Okay, fine. Get ready for school and I'll make pancakes."

Mokuba kissed her cheek. "Thank you~!" And then he practically pranced out of the room.

Victoria shook her head and looked back at the sketches on her desk. She knew another way to vent a little more frustration. She picked up the sketches she had done that morning and took them to the shredder and watched as the beasts vanished into indistinguishable long pieces of paper.


	4. Chapter Three  Haunted

Chapter Three – Haunted

It had been about a week and a half since Seto had left and slowly but surely the colours began to form on the page, only in pale blues at first, but eventually she added darker tones for shadows and even some black where necessary giving the dragons the signature metal appearance that made them famous. She was happy that she finally managed to get the inspiration to continue working on the image. It was coming together perfectly and she had to admit that it was the best artwork she had done to date.

As she was working on the sharp eye line of the dragons her cell phone rang. Absently she turned her music down and picked the phone up. "Hello, this is Tori."

"Good afternoon, Victoria."

Victoria just about dropped the phone. After she fumbled with the thin Qwerty padded phone she quickly placed it back to her ear. "Seto, hey." She greeted, continuing to colour the image that was still set up on the table top easel.

"You sound surprised."

Victoria smiled. "Well, I didn't look at the caller ID." She reasoned.

He chuckled softly. "I'm just calling to let you know that I'm headed home tomorrow morning."

"Fantastic. Did you sort out all the problems at Kaiba Land? It took almost two weeks."

"Finally." He agreed. "Before I leave I'll be at the opening of the park and then I'll head home."

"Okay, that's fine."

"Is Mokuba at school?" Seto asked.

"Absolutely and he's following that timetable religiously. It's actually rather amusing." Victoria informed him.

"How about you, were you okay while I was away?"

"Oh, I was just devastated." Victoria replied, exaggerating the longing in her voice. "I might begin to have withdrawal symptoms."

"I hope I get back before that happens." Seto joked lightly.

Victoria smiled. "Yeah or Mokuba might take control of the household."

"We can't have that. I should be back around midday if things go right."

"Okay. See you then." Victoria said and after he'd replied with a quick farewell she shut the phone and placed it onto the table, turning her music back up.

Just knowing that Seto was going to be home soon brightened her spirits even more.

Five extra hours of work that day saw the artwork completed and just in time. Seto's birthday was at the end of the week and all she had to do now was find a good frame for it and then hide it somewhere in the studio so that Seto would not find it until she wanted him to.

She signed the image in the bottom right hand corner and took a few steps back to check that there wasn't a part of the work out of place. After a moment of consideration she stepped back up to the picture and added a light shade of pale aqua green into the background to give it something extra and satisfied with it, placed all of her pencils down, covered her desktop computer completely and then lightly sprayed over the image with a sealant to prevent any kind of transfer or colour damage and then happily left her studio.

She'd find and buy a suitable frame for the sketch later.

It was a late Wednesday afternoon and yet again she knew where to find Mokuba. She walked into his room and there he was, looking intently at his laptop screen, scrolling on an internet page. "What are you doing?" She asked.

Mokuba jumped a little at her sudden appearance. "I'm not slacking off!" He stated instantly. "This is for the Halloween party for my class at school."

Victoria frowned. "What are you talking about?" She asked, looking at his screen. He was looking through a costume website. "Isn't it a little late for that? It won't get here fast enough."

"Yes it will."

"No it won't. Even at the best of times mail with always be slow."

"Not for us. We just pay them heaps extra to send it express and it'll be here within a day or so." Mokuba replied. "I have to find a particular costume though…"

"And why is that?" Victoria asked suspiciously.

"Well…my friend is going as a duel monster's card and I promised I would go as its other half."

"Really? What card is it?"

"Change of Heart."

"Ooh, I have that card, but I didn't put it in my deck."

"Yeah. She's going as the light half and I'm going as the dark half, since I have black hair."

"She?" Victoria asked, happily teasing the younger boy.

Mokuba flushed and turned to focus on the screen.

"You know, you could just ask someone to make it for you and buy the wings separate. It'd be easier and probably cheaper too." Victoria offered. "Don't you guys have some kind of seamstress or something among your staff?"

Mokuba blinked. "That's a good question." And he was suddenly out of his chair and running out the door.

Victoria stared after him. "Oh…I was going to tell him that Seto was coming home…" She muttered to herself and casually walked out of the room, hoping to tell him before they had to head to bed.

. : . : . : .

Victoria skidded around the corner, running through the halls of the mansion to her studio. She had severely overslept. Again. She blamed it all on the sick clown and the nightmares he'd caused which resulted in sleepless nights.

It was nearly midday and even though she had a piece of half cooked toast between her teeth she knew that she had to hide Seto's present quickly or he could spot it at any time as her studio door was always left open. Shoving the rest of the toast into her mouth she leaped over the scattered pictures of her studio and with the sheet which was still covering her desktop, she flipped it over the easel adorning the image of the Blue Eyes trio and then carried it to another desk and out of sight of the door and Seto.

Satisfied that he wouldn't find it even if he entered the studio, she slipped back out of the door with a sketch book and pencils in hand. She didn't know exactly what she was going to do with them yet, but she knew that she would eventually gain the right inspiration as always. Walking down the hallways she casually flipped through the pages of the book, coasting over sketches of duel monsters cards, animals – mostly kittens and puppies – and basic sceneries. And the last in the book was the sketch she had been working on so late that before her clown incident.

Yami Motou. He was duelling, but the opponent wasn't in the sketch. He had a duel disk on his arm, five cards in his left hand and a single card in his right. His eyes – though all shades of grey – were filled with a fiery determination and his eye brows and lips set in a dangerous expression that made even her want to shut the book. After watching the DVDs of his duels several times over now she knew his deck like her own and figured that given the chance she might give him a worthwhile duel. But finding him would be a problem as he seemingly disappeared from the radar when he wasn't in a tournament – whether it hadn't started or had just finished. It didn't matter.

She sighed a little. It would have been a fantastic experience to see just how much better he was than Seto. She'd have to duel Seto again now that she'd been fixing her strategy again.

She might defeat him this time around.

"Victoria?"

She jumped, completely caught by surprise as her sketch book and pencils fell from her arms and fell to the tiled floor of the foyer, the pencils scattered and rolled in all directions, the book falling in such a way that it closed on its own – thank heaven considering the page she had been staring at. She looked up towards the front door and her heart began hammering against her chest. "Seto." She stated, but so quickly that he didn't seem to notice she pulled herself together. "Welcome home. How was the flight?" She asked conversationally as she knelt down to pick up the book and pencils.

Seto shrugged as he allowed a nearby maid to take his coat, but kept his silver brief case. "Did you have any troubles here?"

Victoria shook her head, grabbing the last illusive pencil and standing upright. "None at all. I mean, Mokuba is Mokuba. He'll always cause trouble if you're here or not." She teased. "Oh, by the way. I never got the chance to tell him that you were coming home today, so he'll be extra surprised to see you."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Seto asked.

"Well, to be honest whenever I would have had the chance it slipped my mind." Victoria explained. "He's got a class Halloween party next week and he's got stuck into getting a costume organised with a classmate – they're going as the same duel monster's card you see." She giggled lightly before she continued. "I'll let him tell you all about it 'cause he seems pretty excited."

"You seem pretty excited yourself."

"Mokuba has a friend – he hasn't told me much about her, but I don't know, I think it's a good thing, you know?" Victoria asked, hoping that he caught the hint in her short and awkward sentence.

Seto caught onto what she was talking about. Being honest with himself, he thought that it was about time that Mokuba allowed his hormones to kick in.

"Besides, I'm his sister. If he's excited about something then I'll be excited for him. Pretty simple, yeah?"

Seto smiled a little and as he walked by her he lay a hand on her head and pet her a few times. "Yeah, you're right. There's some extra paper work I have to finish off, so I'll be in my study if you need anything."

"Okay." She muttered as he dropped his hand, walked off up the stairs and out of sight.

With her heart still pounding from his touch, she set off to the living room. Now that Seto was home she couldn't watch the DVDs – he would probably get angry with her – so she was just going to take a few of the DVDs to watch on her computer in her studio. She'd take them now so that she wouldn't be caught. She took some of her favourites – mostly with Seto in them – and stashed them away in her studio under a pile of papers.

She'd planned to do some sketching, but she immediately lost the urge and after some consideration wandered to her room to read a book.

. : . : . : .

The days passed faster than she imagined they would and nothing seemed to change.

Mokuba did his school work and Seto went to work – and when he came home he continued to work. The day before Seto's birthday approached Victoria grew anxious, though she'd found the perfect frame for his present – simple and black with glass. That was all it needed.

After making sure there were no marks on the inside of the glass and no debris on the sketch she placed the paper into the frame and placed the wooden backing on. She turned the frame around and took a good look at it, smiling warmly as it all came together as she had wished.

It was deathly late and night as she'd had to wait for Seto to go to bed before she could make her move. The way that birthday's ran in the Kaiba mansions depended on the person. Seto didn't really care – though when he was given gifts from herself and Mokuba he was overjoyed. Mokuba insisted on a family breakfast – as a time to receive his much anticipated gifts – and a family dinner just because he wanted to see them again.

As for her, she didn't really mind. As long as she saw them at dinner that night she was happy. Gifts didn't matter to her – as she'd never really gotten any in the past – and just time with her family was all that made a difference on the day chosen to be her birthday.

Holding the precious cargo she slinked to Seto's office, where Roland was patiently waiting for her. Up on the wall behind her brother's desk was a small hook.

"Was this really necessary?" Roland asked. "I'm sure that Mr Kaiba would be happy to receive it by your own hands."

"He will, I just want him to be surprised when he walks into his office in the morning." Victoria assured him. "Here, get this up there so we can both go to bed." She added, taking a step around the desk and standing back to help guide the frame into position.

Roland carefully placed the framed sketch up onto the hook and tilted it to Victoria's directions before it was perfect.

"Fantastic." Victoria said. "Now, bed time. Thanks for the help, Roland."

Roland bowed politely as she walked for the door. "A pleasure, Miss Kaiba."

Victoria hid the small cringe. She hated it when he called her that – when everyone else in the mansion called her that for that matter. Her name was Victoria or even Tori if they preferred. But no matter how many times she told them that they refused to change the title. It had been two years and she still wasn't used to life with the Kaiba's. She wondered if she would ever get used to it.

As she wandered into her room she tugged her hair ties out and let the two ponytails fall free. She knew that chances were she would have to wait until late in the afternoon to see if Seto liked the sketch – she would sleep in again for sure and Seto always left before nine in the morning.

She yawned deeply as she changed into her pyjamas and rolled her way into bed.

. : . : . : .

She violently jolted awake; the anguished voice crying for help slowly dying in the back of her mind as the nightmare slowly ebbed away. Sweat slicked her forehead and she breathed heavily into the silence. It had been almost exactly two weeks since the incident with the clown, and yet what might have happened still continued to haunt her.

It was lucky that Téa came along.

Darkness still blanketed the early-morning sky, and she rolled onto her back, closing her eyes and hoping that a more peaceful sleep would reclaim her. In the blissful quiet that followed, the soft rhythm of footfalls approaching her room reached her ears.

The sound of her door opening, the hinges squeaking slightly, wrenched her from her drowsy state, and she stayed silent and still, suddenly more alert and attentive. Was it who she thought it was…? For a long moment there was no movement, no sound - whoever it was had decided that standing still was somehow productive. But eventually they shifted, slightly heeled shoes somehow making a sound on the soft carpeted floors of her room, shrouded in shadows and hidden from the light of the morning by her thick drawn curtains.

The footfalls approached and stopped at her bedside – they paused there for another agonising moment, making her want to open her eyes and see who it was that had intruded on her room when she was trying to get some extra sleep in. And then she needed no more explanation. The subtle scent of the person settled around her and the beat of her heart began to increase.

Without much warning, his forehead touched against hers, locks of his short hair fell around her face and mingled with her hair. She realised with horror that he had noticed the layer of sweat her nightmare had produced. He thought she was sick.

She probably looked sick, her blankets felt horribly tangled around her legs – where they always ended up when she was tossing with a high fever.

He didn't seem to find anything wrong with her temperature as he pulled away, but soon he slipped his slender hand – perfect for continuous computer work – around hers and gently squeezed. It then seemed apparent that he'd noticed the sight of her blankets and easily detangled her legs from them to carefully cover her with them again before almost as quickly as he'd entered he made his exit.

Once the click across the room announced that her door was now closed she opened her eyes and sat up. Tears bubbled up in her tired eyes.

Why did he have to keep doing things like that to her?

Angrily wiping the tears of confusion away she swung her legs out from under the blankets and onto the carpet where it was just as warm – she noticed a small sheet of paper on her bedside table. Curiosity peaked as she picked it up and unfolded it to see his neat handwriting.

'_Thank you._'

It wasn't much but it made all her work worthwhile.

Shutting her eyes to shield them, she grabbed onto her curtains and flung them open. The light of the morning somehow made its way through her eyelids and she turned her head away, resisting the urge to hiss, until her eyes became adjusted.

Now that her room was lit up she lazily began to get ready for the day.

True she wasn't doing anything for Seto's birthday – as he liked it to be – she, like him, had many things to do in her day.

Such as search for new inspiration.

The first stop was her ensuite. In the shower she found that several ideas would pop conveniently into her mind. Sadly though, she found nothing. She dressed in a pair of comfortable light grey slacks and a black tank top along with a pair of her warmest socks which she used to slide along the tiles and wooden floors around the mansion hallways as she slipped into the kitchen to sort out the grumbling of her stomach.

Inspiration seemed to be continuously out of her grasp even as she tied her hair into two ponytails and entered her studio. Perhaps watching some duels of Yami and Yugi's would produce some absently sketched doodles that would be ultimately useless – but she'd have still practiced for the day if all else failed. When she brought her computer to life she noticed a small mail symbol in the middle of her screen.

A convenient email.

Clicking on the mail a page opened with a letter that looked official but wasn't filled with many details.

_To dear, Miss Kaiba,_

_You have quite a unique talent. Your artworks are fresh and sufficed to say exactly what my company needs. I have taken notice of your address and I know that you cannot meet with me in person so I would like to arrange a video call with you as soon as possible to discuss exactly what you can do for my company._

_Welcome to the Industrial Illusions Staff._

_Sincerely,_

_Maximillion Pegasus._

A new thread of excitement bubbled up in her chest as she eagerly clicked reply to respond – but before she could the screen flickered to black. Instantly surprised and then worried. The computer couldn't possibly be broken.

Then the screen flickered again as an image filled it – a slightly familiar person sitting at an ornate mahogany desk.

"_Good morning, Miss Kaiba._" Pegasus greeted in a drawl to his voice that made her believe that he was simply toying with her. But after seeing him on the news now and again she knew that it was just the way his voice was.

"Uuum, hi?"

He chuckled. "_I apologise if I startled you, but our video call was started when you decided to reply. I'm glad that you wasted no time."_

"Uuh, sure. Not a problem. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Pegasus." She greeted, wishing that she had dressed far better.

"_And it was a pleasure to view your works. And you saved me the trouble of looking for some competent employees._" Pegasus replied. "_You really have a special talent, especially in the area of Duel Monsters. Tell me, do you play the game?_"

Victoria nodded. "Absolutely. I've only been playing it for two years but I've loved the game for most of my life."

"_Fantastic, I can only have employees that play the game themselves._" Pegasus explained. "_Now. When you applied for a job you didn't exactly say what you wanted to work on. Was there a department in particular that you had in mind?_"

"Well…I'm not sure Sir. I'll be pleased with any kind of department that allows me to continue sketching as I do and stay in Domino City if that is possible."

Pegasus nodded. "_Working via correspondence is one of many ways I communicate with my employees – I have several across the world you see. Did you want to design cards as well as their effects, power and abilities? Or maybe you'd prefer me to provide you with a name of a new card I have in mind and you will have the honour of designing the image?_"

"Either of those would be an honour Sir." Victoria replied. "I don't think I have the skills to completely design cards but I would love to be given the challenge of drawing from nothing but a name." She explained.

"_Marvellous._" Pegasus stated. "_I expect weekly updates and in return I'll email you with some new card names I have in mind – and if necessary what I imagine to help you along._" He explained. "_And if you ever need anything I am happily available, Miss Kaiba._"

"Umm, Mr Pegasus, you didn't employ me for my surname alone, did you?" Victoria asked softly. If that were the case then she was going to turn the job down instantly.

Pegasus smiled. A part of it was horribly unsettling. "_I opened the email because of it. But I assure you if you had no talent to offer them you wouldn't have even heard back from me._"

Victoria sighed with relief – she really didn't want to have to turn the job down. "Thank you. I really appreciate it. I'll work hard, Mr Pegasus."

Pegasus nodded. "_Now, being an employee there may be times when you are expected to visit me here at the Industrial Illusions headquarters. Don't worry, it's nothing completely mandatory and of course I will allow you to decline. But you will know when those times are when they arrive. I assure you._" He explained. "_I must bid you farewell now, Miss Kaiba. I'll email you shortly with your first assignment – oh and also, I have already tracked down your bank details and every week once you email me with proof of your hard work you will be paid in kind._"

Victoria nodded and without another word the screen went blank again before her original desktop reappeared.

For a very long moment she sat in her desk chair, beginning to breathe harder and faster as her excitement grew, until she squealed quietly and jumped out of her chair, grabbing her cell phone to make an emergency call to Seto.

. : . : . : .

"I wonder if he knew it was your birthday." Victoria stated softly as she set the cutlery on the table. "It was only a slight coincidence."

Seto shrugged. "You know you don't have to set the table." He stated.

"You know you don't have to remind me every day." She replied in kind. "It makes me feel useful alright? I am glad that you've decided to have a family dinner this year. It was a little strange last year that you weren't around when Mokuba and I ate alone."

Seto shrugged again. "I had work to do."

"Yeah, yeah I know. As always. I know." Victoria replied. But then she realised the absence. "Where's Mokuba?" She asked. "Has he called you at all?"

"He said this morning that he was going to study at his friend's house. Though I'm not all together sure if that is wise."

Victoria giggled. "Nah. I'm sure things will go just perfectly for him." She blushed a little at the thought of Mokuba getting a girlfriend before she'd even had a boyfriend. It was a tiny little bit unfair.

Even though they had been in each other company for the last hour none of them mentioned that morning when he'd entered her room and she had been secretly awake. Just the thought of it caused her cheeks to grow warm.

Mokuba suddenly burst through the door – and in doing so burst abruptly through her thoughts – rejoicing as he embraced Seto and then Victoria. Jumping up and down as he did so.

"Mokuba, what's going on?" Victoria asked, laughing in pure amusement.

"You won't believe it, Tori~!" Mokuba insisted. "You really won't."

"Well, what is it?" Victoria demanded.

Mokuba flushed, glancing sideways at Seto nervously. "Uum, well…"

Victoria giggled. "Okay, I get it, but you know whatever it is you're telling me he'll hear about eventually."

Mokuba flushed darker, his previous excitement for the moment forgotten. "Well, you know how a friend and I are teaming up for the Halloween party next week?"

"Yeah?"

"Well…we found out today that….well that everyone in class thought that we were going _together_, together. You know?"

Victoria giggled lightly. "Yeah?"

"But…we decided that…if they thought it that way then maybe it was that way and well…"

Victoria tightened her lips together to prevent herself from giggling again. "It's all bliss, isn't it?" She asked. "So who is this girl anyway? What's her name?"

"Well…you see that's what I'm worried about." Mokuba replied, glancing at Seto again – who was still leaning against a nearby wall with his arms crossed. He didn't look frustrated, but rather interested in fact.

"I'm not going to be mad at you for having a girlfriend, Mokuba. If you're happy then I won't hold you back." Seto informed him.

"But that's the thing, Seto. Her name's Serenity Wheeler."

Seto's arms fell to his sides and his mouth fell agape. "Excuse me?"

Mokuba instinctively hid behind Victoria. "She's been in my class since she moved back to Domino City last year and since we already knew each other from Battle City we just started to hang out together in class and during breaks."

"Please tell me the barking puppy doesn't know about this." Seto stated with a hint of pleading in his tone.

"No, she's too scared to tell him she's even friends with me." Mokuba replied.

"I'm missing something." Victoria announced.

"Oh." Mokuba realised. "Serenity has an older brother; he's best friends with Yugi and Yami Motou. His name is Joey Wheeler."

"You mean the third ranked duellist in the country?" Victoria asked. "This is such a small world." She laughed lightly, looking over at Seto. "I take it you don't like Joey Wheeler?"

"He's a pain in my behind."

"He can't be that bad." Victoria said calmly.

"Yes, he can be." Seto replied. "Look, Mokuba. I don't mind if you date the puppy's sister, just as long as I don't have to deal with Wheeler in any way."

Mokuba nodded as Seto left the room. He sighed. "I think he's angry."

"Nah. He'll get over it. And he already promised that he would have dinner with us – because we have another reason to celebrate."

Mokuba turned to her, confusion written across his face.

"I got an email from Pegasus today, I got the job." Victoria informed him.

"Really? That's awesome! Congratulations, Tori."

"I guess we all have something to celebrate today, don't we?"

Mokuba laughed. "Yeah – and hey, Tori. I asked Serenity if she could get the Motou's address for you. Just as a little favour for my big sister." He winked.

Victoria smiled warmly. "You didn't have to do that, Mokuba."

Mokuba shrugged. "I told Serenity that my sister wanted to meet and duel with Yami Motou and she agreed to help me out."

Victoria squeaked, wrapping her arms around Mokuba. "Thank you, Mokuba~!"

. : . : . : .

"You can't really be moody about all this." Victoria stated. "You already said it was okay."

They were sitting in the large living room, waiting as they promised for Mokuba to get home from the Halloween party. He'd been on cloud nine all week, unable to keep Serenity from entering anything he said – especially when he talked about a day at school. His excitement was infectious and Victoria found herself fidgeting as she tried to patiently wait his return – she had to get the complete run down of his little 'date' as quickly as she could or she might just burst.

"I'm not moody." Seto said. "You don't look overly impressed yourself."

Victoria looked at him. "Uh, in case you haven't noticed I'm having some troubles with work." She said, motioning around the living room where she'd torn several sheets of paper out of her sketch pad. "I have to send Pegasus an email with proof of my progress tomorrow and I haven't managed to produce anything worthwhile yet."

"Victoria, everything you've drawn is beyond perfect." Seto informed her. "I hope you aren't losing your confidence now that you're actually working towards something."

She shrugged. "It's harder when I have to sketch from nothing but a few words in an email. I may have out done myself but I'm glad to have a challenge. If I can't sketch anything final before tomorrow then I'll just have to sketch him some of my idea pages and say that I'm still working on it. I hope he'll understand."

Seto shrugged. "The worst he can do is fire you – and I have to say, from what he said to you that's unlikely."

"I hope you're right, Seto."

Seto smiled slightly and nodded. "I know I am."

"I wish I could steal some of that self-confidence from you." Victoria said with a playful scowl.

"Yeah, he has way too much of it."

Both siblings turned around on the lounge to see that Mokuba had returned, still dressed up in the dark half of the Change of Heart card costume, wings and all.

"Mokuba~!" Victoria exclaimed, leaping over the back of the lounge. "How did it go, kiddo?"

Mokuba promptly blushed. "It went well. I might go to bed now. But first, here." He managed, handing Victoria a small sheet of lined paper before he fled.

She frowned at the paper for a moment before she unfolded it to see an address written in a cute script that could only belong to a girl. She smiled and tucked it into her pocket.

"What was it?" Seto asked, having stood up, clearly ready to retreat to bed himself.

"Oh, it was nothing." Victoria insisted, heading to the mess of scattered papers. "Go on to bed. I won't be long here so there's no reason to hang around."

Seto nodded and left – always a man of little words.

Little did Seto know that she wouldn't be going to bed for a long time. She had a lot of sketching to do and to top it all off she'd become frightened of her own slumber as the clown filled nightmares refused to die away.

'_You won't get away this time…_'

Shuddered, shaking the voice from her head.

She'd rather be continuously tired than face those horrors more than she had to.


	5. Chapter Four  Third Ranked

Chapter Four – Third Ranked

It appeared that Pegasus was happy to view her sketchy ideas and praised her on the amount she sent him and insisted that she continue to send him rough sketches in case he saw an idea that he approved of. He liked having discussions with his artists it appeared – he believed that only artists can possibly understand another artist.

With that problem off her chest she felt a little better and the pressure was definitely lighter on her now and didn't feel the need to produce a complete and proper picture so soon. But now she had another little problem to solve – when she was going to drop in on Yami Motou.

She'd researched the address and found that it was to a little store called Kame Game Shop. It was fitting that the King of Games lived in a game shop, but it was odd because the shop barely had its own website. It was such a little known store despite who lived there – and he probably worked there too. Every duellist had to pay for his deck one way or another. The thought, though logical, confused her to the point that she found it amusing.

As anxious as she was to meet him she was also hesitant.

Not only that but to get there she would need a ride of some sort. And to get a ride she'd need to borrow one of the mansion's cars. But if she did that Seto would definitely find out about her little trip. But she knew that it was very possible to ensure that no one told Seto of her little trip. She was the unofficial mistress of the household – Mokuba and Seto being the Masters – so she could get her way as well.

Despite the nerves she couldn't back away now that she was so very close.

Just after lunch the Monday afternoon after Mokuba gave her the address she found Roland and quietly asked for a favour. "But please, promise me that you won't tell Seto." She pleaded.

"Certainly, Miss Kaiba." Roland replied, bowing to her.

Victoria smiled. Hopefully Seto would never know. "Thank you."

And with that sorted out she ran back to her room, pulled on her favourite brown boots that came up to her ankles over her thigh high white socks and then added a black jacket. She was already wearing a short, black, pleated skirt with an olive green top that had strings tied up around her neck. She knew she would be duelling so she slipped on black arm bands to counteract the metal of the duel disk.

The duel disk that Seto gave her was then placed securely in a backpack along with a sketch book and a thin fabric pencil case. She could get inspiration anywhere and she learnt long ago to just carry a book everywhere she went. She grabbed her card case and strapped it around her thigh, covering the top of her left sock. And once she was finally ready for the chance of a life time she headed out the door.

. : . : . : .

Though she had never been to many parts of Domino City, this area was particularly remote compared to where she had been. Thankfully it was far enough from the mall she'd visited weeks before and far enough from home as well as Kaiba Corp. to ensure that Seto would never know.

As they were drawing close to the address, Victoria asked Roland to stop the car and that she would call when she was ready to be picked up. Roland was confused to her actions, but didn't question her as he left her on the side walk and drove off.

Victoria wanted to remain anonymous – at least as far as her surname was concerned. She'd come up with a phony surname years ago and there were times when she still used it to avoid attention.

So as far as Yami was going to know she was Victoria Adams and hopefully he would never know who she truly was.

The area she was walking through was rather quiet in a peaceful and comfortable way, there weren't many people around and it was rather residential so there were a few nice homes here and there between the scattered apartment buildings. There was no sign of excess trash or graffiti. It was a nice neighbourhood.

She looked down at her printed out map and turned the next right to find herself looking straight at the Kame Game Shop.

The quaint little game shop standing alone and surrounded by a small abundance of plants and a sidewalk along with a road that it appeared no one really drove on anymore.

She sped up her pace, the anticipation driving her feet into a sprint as she approached the store, until she was suddenly slammed into. She stumbled sideways, only just managing to keep her balance as the person who had nearly bowled her over crumbled straight onto the ground.

He moaned in pain as he slowly got onto his hands and knees, recovering from the fall. "What is wrong with you?" He demanded, looking up at her through his blonde hair. "You could have killed me!"

Victoria couldn't help but feel chagrined. She placed both hands on her hips and narrowed her dark pink eyes at him. "Excuse me, but you were the one who ran into _me_."

"Joey!" A voice called as two sets of feet caught up to them. "You shouldn't run ahead like that – oh hey, Victoria!"

Victoria looked up at the familiar voice and gasped with a broad smile – she'd never felt safer. "Téa! It's good to see you again."

"Sorry that it came to another assault for it to happen." Téa apologised. "He's a dolt, but harmless. Joey apologise." She ordered, looking down at Joey who was still on his hands and knees.

Joey made an insulted noise as he was pulled to his feet by their other friend. "What?"

"We told you to look out and you didn't listen to us – so it was your fault." Téa stated. "Now, apologise to Victoria!"

Joey pouted, but looked at Victoria. "I'm sorry."

Victoria actually smiled. "It's not a problem, I probably should have been watching where I was going myself. But I was just a little too excited I guess."

"What were you so excited about?" Téa asked.

"Well, this is where Yugi and Yami Motou live." Victoria explained, holding onto the arm bands of her bag to occupy her hands which threatened to fidget. "I've wanted to meet them for a little while now and I hope to challenge Yami to a duel."

"You wanna duel Yami?" Joey asked, hardly believing her.

"Yeah, of course." Victoria replied. "He's the number one duellist in the country, the world even. Why wouldn't I want to duel him?"

"Well then, you'll have to get through me first." Joey stated.

Victoria blinked at him. "Huh?"

"Don't you see this?" Joey demanded, pointing to his arm where a duel disk was attached. "I'm Joey Wheeler, third ranked duellist in the country!"

Victoria's mouth fell agape. "No way!" She turned to Téa. "You know the third ranked duellist in the country?" Not to mention she'd just met the brother of Mokuba's little girlfriend. Of course she knew better than to mention Seto or Mokuba to any of them.

She was definitely keeping her surname a secret now.

"Well, yeah." Téa replied as if it wasn't a big deal. And to her it probably wasn't. "I knew him before he became any good at card games at all."

"Yeah." Their friend added. "Téa used to defeat Joey in all the duels she played against him."

"Oh, Victoria, this is my friend Tristan." Téa introduced their brown haired friend who was taller than all of them. "We both spend our days on the side lines cheering for Joey, Yugi and Yami."

Victoria nodded to Tristan in greeting before the end of that sentence seeped into her mind and she turned back to Téa in surprise. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You mean to tell me that you know Yami and Yugi as well?" Victoria exclaimed. "That's so awesome! I wish the topic had come up when we'd met!"

Téa laughed lightly. "I suppose so."

"Hey! Are ya gonna duel me or what, pipsqueak?" Joey demanded, clearly angry that he'd been forgotten.

"I'm no pipsqueak." Victoria stated darkly, turning her attention back to Joey. "I'm just short."

"Same difference." Joey said with a grin.

"Alright, fine. I'll duel you. But you better hope I decide to go easy on you." Victoria warned, sliding her backpack off her shoulders and then her jacket. Unzipping her bag she pulled out her duel disk and quickly strapped it onto her left arm. Using the hand attached to the duel disk she opened the deck case on her thigh and retrieved her deck from it. "I've been perfecting this deck for months – it _is_ perfect." She added, placing the deck into the duel disk and once activated the device slid into position as the hologram indicators lit up.

"That's a fancy Duel Disk. Is it a new model?" Tristan asked, noticing the different colour and slightly modified design.

"So to speak." Victoria replied, facing Joey. She wondered idly if it was rude to start a duel right outside of the shop, but then she realised that a duel would gain attention and then people would notice the shop. She was sure that Yami and Yugi wouldn't mind. "Are you ready?"

"You bet I am." Joey replied, placing his deck into his duel disk and set it into duel position. "Pipsqueaks first."

Victoria grumbled as their life point counters went up to 4000 and they both drew their first five cards. "My pleasure." She stated, drawing a card and beginning her move. "I play a monster face down, in defence mode. And now I'll summon Dark Grey in order to sacrifice him and play Gyakutenno Megami." Victoria stated as a white haired fairy appeared on her field in attack mode. "And I end my turn. Your turn now, Pup."

Joey growled. "I'll show you! Oooh, baby. Here we go." He informed her, looking at his hand happily. "I summon Marauding Captain in attack mode and because of his special ability I get to summon a monster with four or less stars. So I summon my Armoured Lizard in defence mode. Now I'll attack you. Marauding Captain, destroy her face down monster!"

The armoured warrior hologram ran up to Victoria's face down card and sliced it with his long sword. For a moment a ladybug with four stars on its back appeared and then both monsters seemed to explode.

"Ehh! What just happened to my Captain?" Joey demanded as the hologram triangles vanished.

"Whoops, too bad for you." Victoria announced. "You just destroyed my 4-Starred Ladybug. It had the same defence points as your Captain's attack points – so he was destroyed as well. And also because of my Ladybug's special ability, when it is flipped it instantly destroys all four star monsters on my opponents side of the field. So say goodbye to your Armoured Lizard."

"Ugh. Fine." Joey said. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

Victoria raised her eyebrows. He was practically defenceless now. Except for that face down card, but she knew how to fix that. Casually she drew a card. "Okay, first I play Pot of Greed which allows me to draw two more cards." She looked at her six cards and frowned. She didn't have anything to use, so she only had one choice. "And now I play Card Destruction. We both discard our hands and draw a new hand of the same amount of cards we had before. So I draw six new cards."

Joey looked angry as he replaced his two card hand.

"Ho-kay. Now I play Magician's Valkyria in attack mode. And before I attack you with two direct attacks I'm going to get rid of that card you have hidden there. I play this trap card, Dust Tornado, which allows me to destroy one trap or spell card on the field." A tornado appeared from a hologram card and blew Joey's card up before destroying it. "Oh, Trap Hole huh? Nice try." Victoria complimented. "Now, attack him, Magician's Valkyria and Gyakutenno Megami! Takeout thirty-four hundred of his life points."

The two female monsters directed their magically drawn attacks to Joey, wiping out most of his life points.

"Whoa, Joey only has six hundred life points left." Tristan noted.

"I know that, genius." Joey stated, looking sideways at his friend.

Victoria smirked. "I think I have done enough damage this turn, so I'll place one card face down and let you have a go." She said as a face down card hologram appeared behind her Magician's Valkyria. "Are you sure that you're the third ranked duellist in the country?" She asked, genuinely curious if he was as good as his title said he should be.

Joey ignored that and drew a card to begin his turn. "I play Card of Sanctity so we each draw until we have six cards in our hand." Victoria drew three cards and Joey drew four. "Now I activate Pot of Greed." Joey stated, drawing two cards. "Now to replenish some life points. I play Emergency Provisions and send one card to my graveyard to get one thousand life points. And now to bring you some trouble." He announced. "I summon Brigadier of Landstar in defence mode and then I'll use Monster Reborn to summon your worst nightmare, my Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Victoria's eyes widened. How could he have it in his graveyard? She hadn't destroyed it – and then she realised. When she'd used Card Destruction it must have been in his hand. She ground her teeth together as the large black dragon with menacing red eyes appeared through a bright glowing light on his side of the field.

"And now I play one card face down and end my turn. Beat that, Pipsqueak." Joey challenged, deciding not to attack her – yet.

"I've beaten worse dragons." Victoria assured him, drawing a card. Neither of her monsters was strong enough to defeat his dragon, though that Brigadier of Landstar wasn't much of a problem, she could get rid of him easily with either of her monsters. But he'd placed another card face down. Again.

His strategy was starting to annoy her.

The door to the game shop suddenly opened, the chime of a bell announcing the movement and Victoria instinctively looked over to see that a familiar – from the DVDs at least – person had emerged. But she knew enough to know that this wasn't who she'd come to duel.

It was Yugi.

"Heya Yuug." Joey greeted.

"Hi Joey. What's going on?" Yugi asked, looking between Joey and a frozen Victoria.

"We ran into this Pipsqueak and she wanted a duel." Joey replied. "So I'm giving her one."

Victoria was snapped out of her frozen state and glared at Joey. "I didn't come here to duel you, Pup." She stated darkly. "And stop calling me Pipsqueak!"

"Only when you stop calling me 'Pup'."

"Hah. Never."

"Then get used to it!"

Victoria glowered at him as Yugi stood beside Téa and Tristan. Sure it wasn't the Yugi she'd wanted to see, but she'd show him that she was worthy of a duel with the King of Games. "Things are going to get a little more difficult for you." She informed him. "I summon my Ebon Magician Curren in attack mode."

Coming through a glowing portal from the ground, a cute little magician appeared with light brown hair and carrying a pink whip, upon her head was a bunny ear hat and around her neck a blue ribbon from which a gold bell was attached. She wore a black and blue dress with white trimmings.

"Pfft, she only has twelve hundred attack points; she can't take down my Red Eyes." Joey stated.

"I'm aware of that." Victoria replied. "Now I sacrifice my Gyakutenno Megami to summon my Dark Magician Girl."

"You have a Dark Magician Girl?" Joey exclaimed.

"Yeah I know, Yami has one in his deck, but I've always loved her." Victoria replied as the cheery Dark Magician Girl made her way onto the field. "Now I strengthen her with the Book of Secret Arts to raise her attack to twenty-three hundred. Before I attack you I might also activate this card, Shadow Spell. It lowers the attack power of one monster by seven hundred. And I chose your precious Red Eyes." This trick had worked once or twice before on Seto's Blue Eyes. But she was still worried about his face down card. She had to take a chance.

She didn't have much choice anyway.

"Oh no, now Red Eyes only has seventeen hundred attack points." Joey stated.

"Yup. Dark Magician Girl, attack his Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Joey smirked. "Nice try. Activate face down card. Mystical Space Typhoon, now I can destroy one trap or magic card on the field. I might pick that Shadow Spell you played so my Red Eyes gets all of his power back."

Victoria gasped. "No! Wait!" She cried, reaching a hand out to her Dark Magician Girl who looked back and tried to cancel her attack.

"Too late. She's already attacked."

The beam of light flew towards the black dragon and it attacked back in kind, over powering the magic and destroyed the Dark Magician Girl.

As a result, Victoria's life points fell by a hundred. "Dammit." She cursed. "I switch Magician's Valkyria into defence mode and end my turn." She stated, the magician kneeling onto one knee.

"Not so smug now, are you, Pipsqueak?" Joey asked.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Pup." Victoria growled. "Because it's now the standby phase, my Ebon Magician Curran's special ability kicks in. During my standby phase she takes away three hundred life points from you for every monster you control and I see two, so you lose six hundred life points."

Joey stared at his life point counter as it fell to 1000. "I start my turn." He said, drawing a card. "I think I'll play this little card called Graverobber. It lets me steal a card from your Graveyard and I chose your Dust Tornado to get rid of that face down card."

The little image of the Graverobber appeared on the field, holding the Dust Tornado card in its hands. It cackled at her wickedly as the tornado destroyed her Trap Hole card.

"I'm impressed. You were pretty organised. But you weren't clever enough to protect your life points this turn." Joey informed her. "You've left your Magician Curran in attack mode and she's wide open to an attack. Red Eyes, attack her Ebon Magician Curran and take a chunk out of her life points while you're at it." Joey ordered. "Flash Flare Blast!"

Red Eyes Black Dragon reared its head back and sent five fireballs towards the little black dressed Magician, covering the battle area and the duellists in a cloud of hologram smoke.

"Think again, Pup. You should read more about monster effects and abilities." Victoria informed him.

"Huh? What? You're life points didn't go down?" Joey asked.

Victoria shook her head as the smoke began to clear. Her Ebon Magician Curran was still on the field, but her Magician's Valkyria was gone.

"What happened? I attacked your Ebon Magician."

"True, you did. But the effect of my Magician's Valkyria stops you from attacking any other Spellcaster but her." Victoria informed him, placing a hand onto her hip. "You just wasted your attack, you dummy."

Joey growled. "Alright, I end my turn."

"Thank you." Victoria drew a card and couldn't help but smile. "I'm sorry, but this duel is over, Joey."

"What?" Joey demanded. "You have one monster on the field."

"But I have four cards in my hand." Victoria stated. "I sacrifice my All-Seeing White Tiger and Freezing Beast from my hand in order to summon Wingweaver."

The hologram of a six winged angel appeared, purpley pink hair fell down her back and she was dressed in a yellow dress that looked as though it was a long piece of cloth intricately wrapped around her body.

Joey blanched. "She has more than enough to wipe out my Red Eyes…"

Victoria nodded. "That's true. But not enough to wipe out your thousand life points as well. So I add this, Horn of the Unicorn, making her twenty-seven thousand and fifty points to three thousand and fifty."

A large yellow horn suddenly grew from the angel's forehead, she shrieked. It wasn't from pain, but from the additional power she had acquired.

"Hey…" Joey interrupted, counting on his fingers. "That's still not enough to take out all of my life points. There's still six hundred and fifty left after your attack."

Victoria nodded. "Yes, you know your Maths, I'm surprised. But you forget, I have one more card in my hand. I play the spell card, Sparks. This card inflicts two hundred points of direct damage to you." She said, placing the card into a slot on her duel disk and watched as small meteor hologram showered down on Joey and took 200 of his life points, leaving him with 800. "And now, Wingweaver it's your turn, attack and destroy his Red Eyes."

The angel raised her hands above her head and a glowing staff appeared in her hands. She twirled it around in her hands for a moment before she pointed it towards the Red Eyes Black Dragon, firing a beam of white light into the Dragon, causing it to shatter in a shower of triangle hologram pieces.

Joey watched as his points fell down to 150. "That's still not enough, Pipsqueak. I'll still have one hundred and fifty left."

Victoria smiled. "End turn. And because it is my standby phase, Ebon Magician Curran's special ability takes effect because you still have your Brigadier of Landstar on the field."

Joey's eyes widened. "And I lose the rest of my life points." He realised as his life points hit zero and the monsters on the field disappeared. "You won." He stated. "Oh man I lost my third in the country ranking!"

"It seems that I have." Victoria replied, walking over to Joey. "I don't want or need your rank, Joey, you may keep it. That was a great duel, by the way. For a moment I thought I might actually lose." She admitted, holding a hand out. "And I'll stop calling you Pup, I promise."

Joey grinned, shaking her hand. "Yeah, I won't call you Pipsqueak again until you need to be told off."

"What?" Victoria cried.

"What, you can call me Pup when I deserve it." Joey assured her.

"Good." Victoria allowed, crossing her arms.

"That was a brilliant duel guys." Téa complimented, walking up to them. "I didn't know you were that good Victoria. If I did I might have warned Joey to be more serious."

"Nah, who wants a serious duel?" Victoria asked as Téa handed over her bag and jacket. "The point of the game is to have fun." She added, slipping her deck back into its case and placed the duel disk – now in its standby position – into her backpack.

"Hey, Victoria, what's that?" Téa asked, noticing the sketch pad.

"Oh, it's just my sketch book. I'm a sketch artist by trade." Victoria explained.

"Could I take a look?" Téa asked, a little hesitant. The rest of the group looked at Victoria expectantly.

Victoria was doubly hesitant. In that book was the sketch of Yami. It would be so embarrassing to show her that now that she knew all of these people surrounding her knew him. But they would be suspicious if she said they couldn't take a look. She swallowed silently and nodded. "Sure." She replied, pulling the book out of the bag and handing it to Téa.

While the group surrounded Téa to look at the sketches, Victoria slipped into her jacket and pulled her arm bands off and dumped them into the bag before zipping it shut and slinging one of the straps over her shoulder. She simply watched as the usual expressions of awe and amazement crossed each of their faces.

Until they reached the sketch of Yami.

How did she know? All four of them looked up at her. Each with a different expression. Téa looked like she knew some secret, Joey and Tristan were just shocked and Yugi looked a little embarrassed.

She had to explain before they thought horribly of her. "I said that I wanted to duel him didn't I?" She demanded. "So sue me for having a little admiration and inspiration. I can't help what my hand wants to draw."

Joey then grinned broadly, wrapping an arm around her slim shoulders. "So I guess you have a little crush on him, huh?" he asked, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Victoria elbowed him to get his arm off her shoulders. "Certainly not!" She growled. "I see him as a worthy opponent."

"Then why aren't there any sketches of me in there?" Joey demanded, holding his side in pain.

"Because I've never seen your face until just half an hour ago." Victoria replied.

"Then what about Yugi?" Tristan asked, pointing to the shorter young man who had turned back to staring at the sketch until his name was mentioned.

Victoria flushed in embarrassment. Yugi was standing right there, didn't these guys have any decency or tact. "I, uum – "

"It's okay, Victoria." Yugi interrupted. "I'm kind of glad that you didn't sketch me." He laughed nervously. "It would have been a little bit creepy to see myself staring up at me from a piece of paper."

Victoria smiled to Yugi, he'd saved her from a truly hard question to answer. She had in fact tried to sketch him, but something about his softer features prevented her from producing a sketch good enough to keep in her book – he'd looked too feminine in every sketch she'd attempted.

The bell from the Game Shop door suddenly rang and the group all turned to see what was going on.

Then, before her very eyes, he emerged, a figure casually opening the door to the virtually unknown Game Shop and into the light of the midafternoon sun. Gold, magenta and black spiked hair appeared to shine and violet eyes met hers with an air of anticipation that she could only assume was that of a possible challenge.

It was him.

It was Yami Motou.

Excitement began to build in her chest, but all of the words she had planned on using died away in her throat.

The man she'd been hoping to meet for nearly a month was standing right there and she had lost everything that she had wanted to say, including challenging him to a duel. She felt like a moron, standing there speechless when she spoke to the man of her dreams every day without a problem. Though she supposed this situation was very different as she knew what to say to Seto because she'd lived with him for two years and yet she'd never met Yami before.

Luckily for her, though she didn't highly think so when she registered the words leaving his mouth, Joey spoke for her. "Hey, Yami. This is Victoria, she's got a thing for you and – "

"Puppy!" Victoria shouted.

Yami was surprised, his eyes widening a little as he watched Victoria grab Joey into a very strong headlock – despite her small stature and the fact that she had to jump in order to get a hold on him.

"Hey! Let me go!" Joey cried.

"I didn't ask you to introduce me, you moron!" Victoria stated angrily.

Téa sighed, closing Victoria's sketch book and slipped it into the girl's fallen backpack. "What Joey should have said is that Victoria wanted to challenge you to a duel." She said.

Victoria had by then realised that Yami was looking at her in slight amazement and released Joey in time to act like a regular person. "Téa's right. I, uum, I've seen your duels and I just wanted to experience your talent for myself." Victoria admitted, clutching her hands together in front of her and shuffling her feet a little. "That's why I tracked you down and came here."

"And that doesn't sound like a stalker at all." Joey muttered, only to be silenced by Tristan who grabbed him in a headlock before Victoria had the chance.

"I – I hope that I am not being too forward in asking if you would do me the honour of duelling with me." Victoria adding, looking up at Yami with all the determination in the world, using the façade of confidence she had relied on so many times before.

Yami smiled, the same kind that he showed when he was enjoying a duel – just the idea of one made him happy it seemed. "I never turn down a challenge." He assured her, automatically accepting.

"Really?" Victoria exclaimed, unable to believe that he'd actually agreed.

Yami nodded, a little startled by her reaction, but the smile had morphed into one of amusement.

Victoria found it hard to contain the leap of pure excitement that began to race its way through the blood in her veins. It was like someone had turned the tap on all the way and had no plans of shutting it off any time soon.

She secretly hoped that it wouldn't.


	6. Chapter Five  Independancy

Chapter Five – Independency

Despite herself, she was panting. The duel had blown her away, literally.

Yami was standing tall and strong as he always did as his Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl and Magician of Black Chaos vanished, signalling that the duel was in fact over. His triple Dark Magic Attack had truly destroyed her Wingweaver and the rest of her life points. She had done everything in her power to summon her strongest monster before he could summon his but he always had another defence or counterattack for good measure and she thought she would never summon her Wingweaver. Even though she had it had all been too late in the end.

"Wow." She whispered, trying to catch her breath.

"She actually put up a decent fight." Joey noted.

"Shut it, Joey." Téa scolded.

Yami began to walk towards her, and she knew what he wanted so she met him half way and accepted his hand shake. "That was a fantastic battle, Victoria." He complimented. "Thank you."

Victoria shrugged. "Not a problem. Thank you for accepting in the first place. I half thought that you would refuse." In the back of her mind she noticed that she was shorter than Yami, about a head shorter. She could never catch a break where height was concerned.

Yami smiled. "As I said before, I never turn down a challenge."

"Thank you anyway, I really appreciate it."

A moment of silence passed between then, a silence that Victoria actually hoped Joey to destroy as obviously as possible. But he didn't, much to her surprised dismay. But her cell phone changed all of that. The light-hearted tune music startled her and without a thought she reached into the top of her shirt and slipped the thin phone out of the side of her bra. "Hello, Tori speaking." She greeted, turning from the group, happily accepting a distraction.

"_Where in the world are you?_"

"Oh…uum. Sorry I went out." She replied as Seto's distressed and slightly frustrated voice met her ear. "I was about to call about being picked up."

"_You should have told me you left the mansion, Mokuba and I looked all over the place for you and Roland didn't know where you were either._"

"Uuum, I admit that I asked him not to tell you. But I'm fine, really." Victoria assured him. "If you could save me the trouble, could you ask him to pick me up from the same place he dropped me off?" She asked.

Seto sighed. "_Alright. I'll see you when you get home._"

Fear trickled into her heart. "Okay, bye." Ending the call she let out a deep breath. "Whoops."

"In trouble?" Téa asked.

Victoria turned to Téa, smiling with a nod. "Yup. My brother isn't too impressed that I left the house without telling him. He's probably going to ground me or something when I get home." She joked; though a part of her thought he would actually lock her in her room and never allow her to leave.

"I can relate to that." Joey said.

"Yeah, Mr Over-Protective-Brother." Tristan stated, looking a little angry. "I wonder why Serenity decided to stop telling you about the ins and outs of her day to day life."

Victoria blinked. Little did they know the real reason. She shook her head. "Well, I should head off, my lift will be coming to get me soon and I better get to my waiting point before he arrives." She announced, placing all of her duelling equipment away and putting both her jacket and her backpack on. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah, you're welcome to come here any time you want a duel." Yugi informed her. "Our group meets here once or twice a week at the same time so if you want to hand over your number we can let you what days."

Victoria brightened. The thirst for company suddenly being realised. "Okay, someone give me a phone and I'll write the number in there for you." Téa was the first to have her phone out and Victoria quickly typed in her number before turning around to leave. "See you guys!" She called, waving to them before she rounded the corner and left their sight.

"Well, she was an interesting person." Joey commented.

"Certainly full of personality." Tristan agreed. "She can even handle you."

"Watch it!"

"You've met her before, haven't you, Téa?" Yugi asked.

Téa had promised herself not to tell anyone about the clown incident. It had nothing to do with anyone but her and Victoria. "Yeah. We ran into each other a few weeks ago while we were both shopping and got talking. Even though she was really cheery there was something lonely about her."

Yami nodded in agreement. "I noticed that."

The whole group turned to stare at him. "Hmm?"

"I couldn't help but notice the look in her eyes when we said she could visit and hang out with us any time she wanted." Yami explained. "Where ever she lives now doesn't provide her with much company."

"But she lives with two brothers." Téa said.

"Having family does not necessarily provide company."

. : . : . : .

Victoria walked through the front doors of the mansion and pretended as though Seto and Mokuba weren't waiting for her. Mokuba was just happy to see her and didn't seem all that worried, as though finding out that she was safe half an hour ago was enough for him – though he probably knew exactly where she had been. Seto however looked as though he hadn't untwined from his tense worry – probably because he had no idea whatsoever where she had been all afternoon.

"Look, I'm in a good mood, so please don't destroy it." Victoria requested, stepping past them and heading for her room.

"I don't think so, Victoria." Seto called, in a voice so cold that it stopped her in her tracks half way up the steps. Not because of the words, but because he sounded so angry. "Please, don't ruin this, Seto." She pleaded, turning around to try pleading with her eyes as well – but the dark stare that he was giving her frightened her to the core and her pleading eyes never made it to the surface.

"You ran off for half the day and you expect me to just let it slide?" Seto demanded. "Tell me where you were." He stated, hardly giving her a choice.

"Why should I?" Victoria asked. "You don't have to tell me anything when you leave or when you come home. I'm eighteen, Seto."

"But you are my sister." Seto countered.

She knew exactly how to counter that, but the response died in her throat. To say that to Seto would mean hurting Mokuba as well. She bit her lip to prevent the words from leaving. There was no point in fighting; the bliss that new friendships provided had already been destroyed.

She had nothing else to say or do in the foyer so she simply turned and more determined than ever she fled, running as fast as her legs could take her to her first place of solace. Slamming her door shut, hoping that Seto heard it with all of her might, she crumbled to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest as she wondered just what was wrong with doing something on her own.

Through her door, Mokuba's voice called to her. "Tori! Tori, please open the door!"

But she couldn't bring herself to allow him entrance. If she let Mokuba in, she let Seto in and that was just out of the question. "Please, Mokuba, please just leave me be." She begged, leaning back against the door in hopes of ensuring that he would not enter. "Please." She begged again, maintaining the tears for the moment and hoping he would be out of hearing range when she could no longer ebb their flow.

After a very long five minutes Mokuba's footsteps faded away down the hall and they did not return. She sighed and slowly lay down on the carpet.

When Seto had saved her she thought she had found her freedom, but now she realised all that had happened was that she'd traded one prison for a much nicer looking one. Was this the loop her life was destined to take? Over and over again?

She would not allow it. This was her life and she would finally take control of it. She was more independent that he gave her credit for. For the first time since meet him she found hatred in him. The way he ran this house was the same way they used to run her life. She wouldn't go back to that. That nightmare of her life was over and she was going to start anew.

The words that had died away before returned to her, slipping off her tongue as easily as the tear fell from her eye.

"You're not my blood brother."

. : . : . : .

She held the map to her face.

She'd decided to find his house on her own this time. She wouldn't get Roland in trouble again. Later the night before she had received a text from Téa telling her that they were all meeting up at the Game Shop again and that she was happily invited to join them.

Victoria looked up to check the street names, hoping that she was headed in the right direction. Thankfully she was so she continued on her way. She had decided to leave her duel disk at home this time around, and though she had her deck case securely attached to the back of her jeans she didn't think she was in the right mood for a duel. Using her free hand to clutch her coat around her in the abnormal brisk breezes she quivered as she continued her determined march. She wandered a little if it was appropriate for her to show up and then immediately break down. Since she had woken up that morning all she had wanted to do was cry again – though she knew that would get her nowhere. But she feared that seeing her new friends again would cause her to lose the composure she'd managed to maintain.

She found the familiar street – finally – and turned the familiar corner to see the Game Shop in all its unknown glory, at the front door she saw Yugi opening the door to Joey who had just arrived. She called out to them, waving her hand as she ran at a sprint up to them. "Hi guys." She greeted, coming to a stop right in front of them. She noticed their startled expressions. "Sorry, I was looking forward to this." She admitted. It was at that moment standing closer to Yugi than she had the day before that he was about the same height as she was, though he must have grown somewhat over the years. She instantly felt a little better about being short.

Yugi smiled warmly. "That's fine. Come on in, most of us are here already." He informed the pair, letting them past him before he shut the door behind him, keeping the cold winds out. "It sure it hold today, isn't it?"

"You're telling me?" Victoria asked. "It's only the beginning of November – just wait until winter arrives. I'll be frozen for all three months so don't be too surprised if you don't hear from me until late February." She warned.

Joey laughed. "Don't worry, we'll all be frozen too."

"Ah, well that's comforting." Victoria replied, grinning happily. She had been wrong. Being around these friends made the sorrow and anger melt away. She felt as though she hadn't been fighting tears for half the night and all morning.

Yugi led them behind the counter of the game shop, revealing that the shop section itself was really very small. Through a small storage room they came to another door which served as a small foyer area where Yugi said they could take off their shoes. To the right was another door, that Victoria assumed led outside as well, that was the front door to their house. Yugi then led them on ahead into a living room area with a regular sized television that was playing a duel monsters tournament, she couldn't tell if it was a DVD or on a television channel. On the same wall the television was resting against there was a sliding door that revealed where the kitchen and eating area was. Téa had already arrived, sitting on a lounge facing away from them as they entered. Yami was sitting on a lounge adjacent to it against the wall to the left. The right side of the room had three large, tinted windows that had curtains partly drawn over them.

Joey, of course, announced himself instantly, exclaiming that the fun had in fact arrived now that he was present. Yami turned to greet them and Téa easily twisted her body to face them as well.

"Victoria. I'm glad that you came." Téa greeted. "It's good to think that I won't be the only girl here anymore."

"You wouldn't be anyway." Yami reminded Téa. "Rebecca will be moving into town in a few weeks and she'll more than likely want to be involved." He smiled a little towards Yugi. "Especially if Yugi is going to be involved."

Victoria instantly caught on. Whoever this Rebecca girl was, she was in love with Yugi – and apparently didn't hide it because Yugi was now sporting a very amusing blush. She giggled. "The wonders of romance." She commented, choosing to sit on the lounge beside Téa, resting her aching feet. "Ow. I think I walked too far."

Téa looked over at her. "You weren't driven?"

Victoria shook her head; she really didn't want to explain. "Don't worry. I'm just not used to it, that's all."

"How far did you walk?" Yami asked, sounding a little concerned.

"Uum, I can't be sure how far it was, but I think I was walking for about three quarters of an hour, maybe a little longer." Victoria replied.

"What?" Joey exclaimed, his attention being drawn away from the television instantly. "Do you live on the outskirts of town or something? That's way too far, especially in this weather."

"Speak for yourself, Joey. You're just too lazy." Téa retorted.

Victoria giggled a little at Téa's response, but replied to Joey nonetheless. "I'll take vitamins and drink plenty of water. I'll be fine." She promised.

"We can organise for someone to drive you home if you like." Yugi offered.

"No, really. It's better if you don't do that." If they saw where she lived they would know for sure who she was. "My brother doesn't know I've left the house again and he might start screaming bloody murder at any innocent bystander if he found out I was getting help."

"Can I ask what he said to you when you got home yesterday?" Téa asked.

"You're better off not knowing." Victoria replied, turning her attention to the screen, but was directed away from it again as Yami caught her attention.

"Victoria, I wondered if I may view your sketch book." He asked, everything in his aura spoke of upmost integrity and honour. He'd clearly been raised in such a way that he seemed unable to be anything but.

Victoria gulped. She'd bought the same book as the day before.

"Yugi told me that they were highly impressive and I admit that it caught my interest." Yami explained, believing that her silence told him to give her a reason.

She shot a glare at Yugi who pretended he had his full attention on the duel on the television. She sighed a little. "Well, yeah, okay. Just don't…freak out." She requested, retrieving the book from her bag and handing it over. Though she caught the slightly confused expression on his face, she turned her focus to the duel which was fast coming to an end to distract herself from observing Yami's reactions to her sketches.

To her surprise he handed placed the sketch book on the lounge beside her without making so much as a comment about the sketch of himself. By the time she had the chance to look at him to see if he had some kind of expression on his face to show his response he had turned to the finishing duel on the television and talking to Yugi. How could he be so nonchalant? Could it be that he heeded her request when she'd asked him not to freak out? He'd taken it completely seriously whereas most people wouldn't have.

There truly was something different about Yami – she wondered, placing the book back in her bag, if there was even a chance that anyone would ever be able to work him out.

"Hey, Tori, I have a question." Joey stated, turning from the television as the duel came to an end and the winner was given a trophy. "You seem a little young, shouldn't you be in school?"

"I'm eighteen." Victoria replied stiffly, but then shrugged. "I never really enjoyed regular school." She lied – she'd never even been to a proper school before.

"I'll bet you spent all of your classes drawing." Yugi assumed.

Victoria grinned sheepishly. "Pretty much."

"You reackon you could draw me? Huh? Huh?" Joey asked, pointing a finger to himself expectantly.

"Joey." Téa scolded.

"No, no. Téa it's alright. I think I can manage." Victoria replied, reaching for her art book and pencil slip. "And I'll tell you what, let me see your Red Eyes card." She requested, holding a hand out.

Joey blinked as he pulled out his deck and handed over the Red Eyes Black Dragon.

"I usually like to have more reference, but this should be enough." Victoria explained, placing the Red Eyes card at the top of her page as she turned to a fresh sheet. Flicking a pencil between her fingers before she placed the lead to paper. "Just face me for a bit." She stated, looking up at Joey and then back at her page. For the next ten minutes she looked up and down from her page as slowly Joey's features became clear on the page in an expression that the whole group reckognised. "By the way." Victoria commented as she continued to sketch. "Where's Tristan?"

"He had a class today." Téa replied. "He's taking a University course to be a nurse."

Victoria paused for a moment in surprise. "Wow, that's impressive."

Téa nodded. "He's our resident first aid master."

"You'll need it with Joey around." Victoria commented, beginning to style his hair out on the page. She missed Joey's pout but didn't miss his half-hearted response that barely made a difference to what she'd said. To her surprise, Joey was very easy to sketch. Sure he wasn't exactly a complex character and though his personality bought a little life to the image through the confident expression that she'd placed in his eyes and the line of his opened lips as they kicked up at the corners. Smug might have been a better word, but confident the fit the moment better. Smug would have been after he'd defeated her Dark Magician Girl – confident was when he was anticipating the accomplished attack. After drawing him with a hand held out in front of him, roughly beginning to add the shading to his skin and the jacket and shirt he was wearing, she lightly drew in the shape of his dragon behind him. The Red Eyes Black Dragon was a complicated design to draw at the best of times, but this time she was drawing it behind Joey. This meant that she had to sketch around Joey and hopefully not make such a huge mistake that the whole image was destroyed. Though she knew it was rare for a Duel Monster to give her any trouble there was always a first for everything and she'd never drawn a monster with a person on the same page before.

Yami observed Victoria closely. Not at all in a dishonourable way. There was just something about her that confused him. Other than the sketch of himself that he'd viewed in her book – which impressed him more than he decided not to voice, proving that she had an astonishingly beautiful talent with an incredible thirst for detail – she was the perfect illusionist. Since she'd arrived she'd hidden an aura of sorrow from them in a masterful way, but then, he wasn't a regular human like the rest – though in body and soul he was now. He still had the tingling senses that the Millennium Puzzle had bestowed upon him and Yugi. In the very corners her eyes he could see the soft pink of tears that had been shed and her body language – though for the moment bent over her sketch pad – was a little slumped as though there was a whole world upon her shoulders.

He couldn't help but notice – as he observed the signs of loneliness – that as she twisted the pad around to sketch a particularly troublesome part of Joey's favourite dragon, her upper teeth appeared and bit down upon her supple lower lip in thought. And even when she lost the grip, she bit down again and again until she caught it completely, rolling the tender flesh upon her concealed bottom teeth in an unconscious action that actually caused his head to tilt to the side a little as though it would help him understand the action better.

It didn't.

"And there you go; you and your Red Eyes." Victoria announced, signing the image in the bottom corner and then easily tore the page out of the book and handed it over to Joey, together with his Red Eyes Black Dragon card. "Take care of it because I won't draw it over again." She warned him.

"Wow…it actually looks like me." Joey stated. "Thanks, Tori."

Victoria smiled warmly. "It was nothing." She said with a shrug.

"I hope you're doing something with this talent, Victoria." Yugi said.

Victoria bit her tongue from saying anything about Industrial Illusions. She wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing to enlighten them with – at least not yet. "I've sold a few sketches that I admit I spent a little more time on and added a little splash of colour. That sketch there is a quick one. There was a picture I did for my brother's birthday that took me two days – on and off over a week or so." She explained. "I'm sorry, Joey, but compared to many of my other works that one is amateur."

"It's good enough for me." Joey replied, still staring at the image.

"I think you stroked his ego a little too much there, Tori." Téa informed the younger woman, laughing lightly.

"Everyone's ego needs a little stroke now and again." Victoria allowed. "It's when they get too much that they become a pain the behind." She added, reminding herself of her older 'brother'.

"Hey kids."

To the left of the room, behind them were there was a doorway that Victoria hadn't noticed. An elderly man was standing as he had walked down a set of stairs. She could only assume that this man was Yugi and Yami's Grandfather. He seemed to be stable enough on his legs that he didn't need a walking stick though he was short and she had to admit a little bit stumpy – not that she had a problem with that.

He spoke as he walked further into the room. "Seto Kaiba is announcing some new technology on duel disks today."

"Really, Grandpa?" Yugi asked. "When?"

"In just a few minutes, they announced it on the radio just then."

"Put it on Yuug." Joey said. "I wanna see what ol' money bags is talking about."

Yugi turned the television back on but the channel he switched to didn't show anything about Seto Kaiba. "It mustn't be on yet." He assumed.

It was at the moment that the elderly man noticed Victoria. "And who might you be?" He asked. "I haven't seen you here before."

"I'm Victoria, Mr Motou. I'm a friend of Téa's." Adding that she knew Téa first explained why she was in the house, she assumed.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you and really, you don't need to call me Mr Motou." The elderly man assured her. "Grandpa will work just fine."

She was momentarily surprised. 'Grandpa' was never a word she'd had the honour of using to name another person. The thought of using it frightened her a little, but at the same time she felt like she'd become a part of another family. She decided not to use it right away. "Okay." Was the only reply she had.

'_Attention everyone, Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corporation will now make his announcement._'

Everyone turned back to the television and inside of her chest, Victoria felt her heart give a painful lurch at the very sight of him as he walked up to the podium covered with microphones. She couldn't stand it. When he looked up at the camera, his eyes stared at her. She had to get out of there, somehow.

"Hey." She whispered, capturing Téa's attention. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Oh, it's up those stairs and the first door straight ahead." Téa replied quietly, motioning to the set of stairs.

Victoria nodded and without so much as glancing at the television she ran for the stairs and once she stepped into the tiled room she shut the door soundly behind her. She leaned her hands on the vanity, staring at the mirror coated with the remnants of steam that hadn't been cleaned off for a very long time, but in the middle the mirror was clear and she could easily see her face as tears fell down her cheeks. She'd barely made it, but she didn't know if she could regain her composure before she had to go back down to the living room.

They'd get suspicious if she took too long. Either way she'd have to estimate how long it would take for Seto to make his announcement and then get his face out of her freedom.

For the moment though she looked around the bathroom. She had to smile that there was no denying this house was boys only. Just by the fact that there wasn't a scrubber in the glass enclosed shower – though there was a small square towel hanging from a hook of the shower basket that held three different kinds of hair washer. She wondered for a moment if there was a reason for them all having different brands, but didn't want to step into the area of the bathroom that would always be a little bit damp to read the labels closely.

She looked back towards the mirror and realised that the wind had tugged a heap of her hair out of the low set twin ponytails she always wore. She pulled both of the hair bands out and retied the hair so that it was no longer weather battered. With that done she turned the tap on and splashed some cool water into her face, washing the evidence of tears away.

With that done she hoped that Seto was finished as she opened the door and quietly walked to the top of the stairs, listening out for the television to see if the coast was clear. Thankfully all she could hear was Joey talking so she swiftly climbed down the stairs and into the living room. Grandpa was gone, but the others were still sitting around the living room.

"You won't believe it, Tori!" Joey announced when he saw her return. "That rich boy made a new Duel Disk design. In fact it looked a lot like the one you used yesterday. How did you get your hands on one?"

Victoria blanched a little. She had to quickly fabricate a plausible lie that she could remember as well.

"How she got it isn't any of our business, Joey." Yami said, before Victoria had to worry about it. "Though companies always give out prototypes of their new technology to people to see if it works right. That's obviously what happened in this case."

Victoria couldn't believe it. He'd come up with one so quickly – though he probably figured it was the truth because he had no idea who she was, not really.

"Is that right, Victoria?" Yami asked, turning his violet eyes on her.

She was silent for a long moment, but quickly pulled herself together in time to nod. "Yeah. I was lucky I guess." She replied with a nervous giggle.

"Do you have to give it back?" Yugi asked.

Victoria shook her head. "I get to keep it, which is good because I quite like it." At least that was the truth for once. From her bag her phone began to violently ring. She made an annoyed sound and climbed over the back of the lounge to find the phone. She looked at the caller ID and grumbled, ending the call before it could begin. "I asked you to back off." She mumbled angrily. But the phone promptly began to ring again.

The same caller.

She growled darkly and stumbled off the lounge and walked into the kitchen, wishing to make the call a little more private. "Look." She stated, not even giving him the space to speak. "You can't control me like you do your little game or the people you have running around in hamster wheels. I am a person and I deserve a life and friends. You might have given up on relationships outside of your work filled life but I'm not. If you'll remember I grew up around dozens of other people so you better get used to my daily trips out of that stuffy place you call home. Do you understand me?" She demanded.

For a very, very long moment there was complete silence on the other end.

"Good." And with that said she hung up, unthinkingly throwing the phone across the room with a heart wrenching sob, the plastic backing and battery falling out and scattering in all directions across the white tiled floor.

The group were all looking at one another when the phone went flying, clattering as the broken noise she had made reached their ears. Téa stood up first and ran to the kitchen doorway, looking towards the scattered phone and then to Victoria, who was seeking balance from the kitchen counter, tears filling her eyes at an alarming rate.

"I'm sorry." Victoria murmured. "I didn't mean to make a mess."

Téa sighed sympathetically. "It's okay, we can easily put your phone back together." She assured her, unsure if it was time to go and embrace the girl.

"No, that's not…I…I can't come here anymore. I've made a mess of everything." Victoria realised, wiping her cheeks as she collected the pieces of her phone and ran into the living room and picking up her bag and throwing the phone in and zipping it up. "I'm sorry for the trouble that I have caused all of you, b-but I need to go." She explained, fleeing from the living room and to where she left her boots. She tugged them onto her feet and opened the door to save her having to go through the shop.

"Wait! Victoria!" Téa called, coming to the door, but Victoria had already begun running as the fastest sprint she could manage.

. : . : . : .

She stood at the door to his office with a hand raised. It was the fifth time that night that she had walked to the door and stood there quietly, hesitating as she heard the constant tapping of his fingers on the keyboard of his laptop. She wanted to apologise, but she didn't have the words to say so in a way that would leave her with a clear conscience.

For the fifth time she lowered her hand and made to walk away, when the door opened. She looked over and then up at Seto, no longer really caring anymore. She merely blinked thoughtlessly at him. She didn't even feel the beating of her heart. She was empty and confused.

Seto pulled her into a tight and apologetic hug. "I'm sorry."

Feeling the scent of his cologne surround her, her anger for him crumbled. She couldn't stay angry at him for long. "Me too…"


	7. Chapter Six  Quiet Observations

Chapter Six – Quiet Observations

Victoria stared at the unsent text and then promptly deleted it.

For a week she'd been wallowing in her quiet regret. She couldn't suddenly decide that she was going to join their group again – even if Seto gave her permission to leave the mansion whenever she wished if she wanted to be in the company of other people.

She was in the process of writing a new text when she suddenly received one, she fumbled with the phone before taking a look at the sender ID – it wasn't in her phone memory so it had no name. The text read:

'_We're meeting at the Motou's again tomorrow at around 2pm. You're more than welcome to join us again. Yami._'

Victoria blinked rapidly at the text. They still wanted to have her around? Were these people nuts? She had to know.

She decided to reply with a wave of hesitation as she realised she was texting Yami, not Téa like she had the week before.

'_Even after what happened last week?_' She asked. While waiting for a reply she added his number into the contacts of her new iPhone – Seto insisted that the old one was broken and got her a new one. Though she appreciated it she saw no reason to replace the old one. It had been a little scratched from the throw but it had worked perfectly fine.

She was about to place the phone down when she received a reply.

'_Don't think of it. We've already forgiven you. Whenever you're ready we'll welcome you with open arms_.'

Victoria smiled and replied to him again. '_My brother and I have worked out our differences. He hasn't got a problem with me going out anymore. Would it be okay for me to come tomorrow like you offered?'_

The reply was almost instant. '_Certainly, we'll look forward to it._'

'_Thank you, Yami. I was feeling a little down but I feel much better now, thanks._'

She could just imagine the soft shrug he would give when he said his nonchalant reply.

'_What are friends for?_'

. : . : . : .

Though she was given absolute permission to leave the mansion and to use a car she decided to get there her own way. The afternoon that Yami had texted her she asked Seto if she could invest in a bicycle. She knew how to ride one, though it had been a while, and it would make getting to the Game Shop easier than walking.

"Why can't you just use a car?" Mokuba had asked, his arms hanging possessively around her waist while Seto pulled the bicycle out of the back of the four-wheel drive they had taken. He'd been more than a little bit attached to her hip whenever he was around her for the last few days.

He was scared of her going back to the way she had been before.

"Because riding a bike is just as good as walking. I can still see the scenery that I pass and I'm getting a dose of fresh air. Plus I'm not destroying my unfit legs and feet." Victoria replied, her arm still wrapped securely around his shoulders.

Mokuba still looked unsure, but knew he couldn't talk her out of it either way. "Well, okay."

"Besides, I kinda always wanted my own bike." Victoria replied.

The next day she left round one thirty, unsure of how long it would take her – though she assumed it would take her less time than if she'd been walking. It was another brisk day, even if the sun was shining its heat wasn't reaching the earth as the freezing winds began to pick up preparing for the oncoming winter. The chill in the wind biting her cheeks red and whipping her twin ponytails back so that they danced about behind her. She shivered as the wind found its way into the winter coat she was wearing – composed of a cotton shell and polyester lining with woven cotton fold out collar and a large twin set of four buttons that gave the wearer a choice depending on the chill she supposed, she chose the closer set so that the coat hugged her torso. She had on her usual pair of brown boots and the hems of her leg hugging jeans tucked into them and on her head she wore a helmet in deep blue tones that matched the black and blue of her bike.

Well at least she would be safe.

Victoria pulled the bicycle to a stop at the side door to the Motou home and twisted her body around to reach the plastic compartment seated and attached to the rack hanging over the back wheel to get out the chain and lock to secure the bike to the railing surrounding the small garden by the door. As she was setting the bike up against the railing and slid the stand down, she heard the door opening behind her and she turned to see that Yami had emerged.

"Hi." She greeted, still feeling sheepish from her childish actions. "I'm sorry, again."

He held a hand up as he leaned against the doorframe. "The past is the past."

Victoria scoffed a little, thinking of the nightmares of the clown paedophile that still refused to leave her. "It's not always that easy." She said shamefully, looping the chain around the frame of the bike and then the railing of the garden before locking it with the padlock.

Yami shrugged. "That may be true in many cases. I understand the feeling of confusion, anger and frustration." He explained. "I've thrown a phone across a room before."

Victoria caught onto the meaning in that sentence. "Not your own?" She asked, fiddling with the buckle of her helmet.

Yami smiled slightly and closed his eyes for a moment as though visualising the moment. "Even the King of Games can become annoyed by the things that Joey says." He replied.

She laughed, clipping the helmet strap around the chain. "I'm afraid that I find that hard to believe."

"Though, I admit it was a more playful event than it was angry, I still didn't intend to break it into as many pieces as I did." He admitted, lightly scratching the nail of his index finger against his cheek.

Victoria couldn't help but giggle a little from the slightly sheepish look on his face. It completely contradicted everything that she'd learned about his personality from the DVDs of his duels. He always seemed so cool, calm and confident. This Yami was so different to that. He had a sense of humour, but he was still polite and used perfect grammar – eloquent but fun at the same time. He'd found the appropriate mixture that worked for what appeared to be his true personality.

She suddenly shivered. "Man it's cold." She commented, folding her arms over her chest and looking up at the sky, the light grey clouds threatening an early fall of snow. "It's not even December yet."

Yami followed her gaze to the sky and nodded. "It is been unnaturally cold recently. But don't worry; we've got the gas heater on in the living room."

Victoria already felt warm just from the mention of a gas heater. "I hope I'm invited in then."

Yami took that comment a little too seriously and she could tell by the shock on his face as he stepped out of the doorway and waved a hand into the door. "Of course you are."

She stepped past him and the warmth of the entrance room in its own made her begin to sweat. After removing her backpack, she slipped her coat off and she kicked out of her boots. "Wow, it is really cosy in here." She complimented, fixing the hem of the long sleeved t-shirt she wore.

Yami nodded as he walked in and shut the door behind him. "Yugi, Grandpa and I have freeze intolerant bodies – we can't stand the cold." He said, taking her coat from her and hanging it on a hook on the wall for her.

Victoria had to be honest, she believed that information. She noticed that Yugi and Yami were both rather small and thin in stature so the cold must simply reach their core without much of a problem. And Grandpa, well, as stocky as he was, he was still an elderly man – that was excuse enough right? "I can't stand the cold either." She admitted. "Is anyone else here yet?"

Yami shook his head. "Yugi's gone out to the store at the moment and Grandpa is manning the shop so for now it's just the two of us."

"Well that sounds interesting." Victoria commented, allowing him to lead the way into the familiar living room.

"That bike was pretty impressive, did you get it recently?" Yami asked.

"Yeah, I asked my brother if I could get it so I could get here easier." Victoria noticed the clock on the wall. "And fast by the look of it. I'm early."

"We don't mind." Yami assured her. "Company is always welcome."

"That's good to hear, I could always use the extra company." Victoria admitted.

Unseen by her, Yami smiled sympathetically. "Would you like some tea or coffee, or anything?" He offered, walking towards the kitchen.

"That would be fantastic, actually." Victoria agreed, dumping her bag next to a lounge in the living room.

Yami smiled and led the way into the kitchen. "So what was it that you wanted?" He asked.

"Oh uum, what kinds of tea do you have?" Victoria asked, absently leaning her elbows on the countertop while Yami filled the kettle and then put it on to boil. "Any kind is fine; I just find that some are better than others."

Yami nodded in agreement, opening a cupboard above the counter and finding a small cardboard box, he placed it upon the counter in front of her. "These are all the kinds that we have. Yugi likes the flavoured ones so we have plenty of those." He explained, getting two mugs from the same cupboard.

Victoria fingered her way through the various tea bags, finding many flavours that she had to raise an eyebrow at. Who drank cherry blossom flavoured tea? Apparently Yugi did. She picked up two that sounded really tasty, but she found that she couldn't decide between them. "Which would you recommend?" She asked as Yami was placing a spoon full of sugar into one of the mugs. "Chocolate mint or strawberry cream? Which would you suggest?"

Yami blinked at the two tea bags she held up for a long moment. "To be honest with you I can't chose between them either – you are more than welcome to try them both while you are here."

"Is that really okay?" Victoria asked, unsure if she should. She didn't want to be a bother or use more than she needed of their tea.

"Of course." Yami replied. "Do you have milk or sugar?"

"Milk please." Victoria replied, putting the strawberry cream tea bag into the second mug.

"I'll get the milk then. Could you put a camomile tea into the cup I added sugar to?" Yami asked as he walked over to the fridge.

Victoria nodded and dug into the box to find the right tea bag and placed it into his mug. The kettle clicked, indicating that it had done its job and upon instinct, Victoria grabbed the handle to pour the steaming water into the mugs.

Yami returned to the counter with the carton of milk, simply watching her as she took initiative and finished the job he'd planned on completing. She had a seemingly expert technique that was all her own – she'd always been pouring the water for tea the same way, he could tell. She held the string of the tea bag away from the water and the steam and poured enough water in to leave room for some milk and still have enough room around the rim to prevent spilling it from picking up the mug. And after she'd poured them she began to tug the tea bags up and down in the mugs to ensure that the tea leaves infused with the hot water.

The deep pink in her eyes was glazed over in determined concentration, the fringe of her hair – the colour of which was literally what he'd describe as strawberry cream ice cream – falling over them and nearly obscuring them from his view. The rest of her hair was as it had been when he'd first met her and the day after, tied back into low twin ponytails – one of them had found its way over her shoulder and fell in a ringlet like curl over her slight bust. Not that he was looking. She wore a basic chocolate coloured t-shirt with a stencil floral design in cream and light pink covering the bottom right corner of it where it hugged over the top of her form fitting blue jeans. The colour of her skin even reminded him of cream, it was pale and clear – save for that small freckle behind her left ear.

He was so busy studying her that not only did he notice when she'd stopped and was staring at him in confusion, but also that he'd begun to smile.

"What?" She questioned.

Yami blinked, taking a sharp, silent breath in and looked away. "Oh, nothing. How much milk do you take?"

"Just a little bit." Victoria replied, though watched him closely as he poured what he assumed she meant by 'little bit' into her mug before sliding it over to her. She linked her fingers through the handle and curled them around the mug as she lifted it under her nose and took a deep breath in. "Wow. That smells so good." She voiced through a moan, walking towards the bin standing by the fridge so she could dispose of the tea bag.

Yami poured his own milk and added another spoon of sugar, stirring it in with the long handled spoon. In the back of his mind he wondered just what was taking Yugi so long at the store – it wasn't that far away and he'd been gone a fair while. His thoughts were broken by Victoria's soft outburst. Slightly startled he looked over to see that she'd taken a sip of her tea. He chuckled lightly. "You like it?" He asked, though the tone in his voice implied that it was more of a statement.

"It's one of the best tea's I've ever had." Victoria replied. "I'll have to suggest this to my brothers." She added.

Yami's smile didn't vanish. "Do your brothers like tea?"

Victoria blanched a little as he decided to talk about her brothers. Little did he know… She couldn't not answer though. "My little brother does to an extent – mostly because I don't let him have coffee. He'd prefer a mug of hot chocolate. My old brother however _lives_ off his coffee. He thinks tea has no flavour. Boy is he wrong."

"They almost sound like opposites." Yami assumed, leaning back against the counter with his mug between his hands.

"Completely polar." Victoria agreed.

"And where do you fit between that?" Yami asked curiously.

Victoria actually had to think about that. Where did she fit in between the two brothers? Neither of them was particularly artistic – though they both had brilliant and unique imaginations. Nor did any of them exactly crave company like she did. She'd been brought up completely different to them. She finally came to the conclusion that she had no answer.

"Victoria?"

She looked up and noticed that he was looking worriedly in her direction.

"Have I asked a hurtful question?" He asked softly.

Oh god, he thought he'd hurt her feelings. "No, no. That's not it. It's just that…I've never really thought about it, that's all." She sighed. Well, he didn't have to know who had adopted her. "Yami, they're…well…they're not my blood brothers…I was adopted into the family only recently and…well…You know." She let out a few soft sounds of laughter that did not reach the expression in her eyes.

"Yeah…I know."

Victoria looked up at him, her eyes having fallen to stare into her tea. Of course. How could she have forgotten? If what Mokuba had told her was true then he had only become a part of this world three years prior. He was just as new to this life as she was.

"You may not believe this, Victoria but…" She couldn't believe that he planned to tell her. "I used to be a wandering spirit – a soul with no hold on the earth. For five thousand years I travelled the shadows endlessly with no knowledge of whom I was or where I came from." He explained.

It occurred to her that this was the first time that he had actually explained this information to anyone in full. His voice was distant as he relived the memories, such lonely memories.

"Until Yugi was given the Millennium Puzzle, the item of which my mind and soul had been placed in." He continued. "But as it sounds, the puzzle was in many pieces when Yugi received it. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be here."

"So he finished it?" Victoria asked.

Yami looked over at her, his expression surprised. "You believe me?"

Victoria shrugged. "The things I have seen in my lifetime, I'll believe just about anything."

"An ancient Pharaoh that survived for five thousand years inside of a pyramid puzzle?"

"It could happen." She shrugged again. "So, Yugi finished the puzzle right?"

Yami smiled and nodded. "And when that happened he became a vessel for my mind and soul. We shared his body and we could often talk like you and I are in the recesses of our mind."

"Is that why there was only one of you until the KC Grand Tournament?" Victoria asked.

"You noticed?"

"I noticed when there were suddenly two of you." Victoria replied.

"Well, yes, that was tricky. I was the Yugi that everyone had seen until we were separated and it took a long while for people to get used to me being Yami and Yugi being, well, himself again." Yami explained. "Anyway, with no memory of my own it was a long time until Yugi and I knew that we had to travel to Egypt in order to discover who I was and why I lost my memories in the first place." He paused for a very long moment, simply staring at his tea. "I found them and now I know everything about my life as a Pharaoh from so long ago, but…I felt like I had to stay here. Luckily, through some difficult magic that I admit looked all too easy, I was given a body of my own and now I live here with Yugi, acting as his twenty-one year old brother."

"That would have been easy to enforce." Victoria noted with a laugh.

Yami frowned at her.

"You look the same." She pointed out. "If you hadn't told me all of that I would have never guessed any different."

"Thank goodness for that."

"The others know all about that, don't they?"

Yami nodded. "They were beside Yugi and me for the whole journey." He replied. "They are the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for.

Victoria frowned a little to herself. Yet he'd told her all of that?

"Is something bothering you?" Yami asked.

She sighed. "Why did you tell me all of that?" She asked.

Yami blinked. "Because you're one of my friends." He replied.

Why did everyone she had to meet be so sure of their lives and who each person was in it? "But you've only known me for a week."

"Sometimes quality is more important than quantity." Yami stated simply.

A weak smile crossed her lips. "Hah, yeah I guess that's true."

"Tell me…that sketch you drew. Where did you find the inspiration for that?" Yami asked.

A flush instantly converted her pale cheeks to a rosy red. "Well, it was when I was watching one of your duels. You had this spirit and determination that I just couldn't get out of my head. And when that happens I usually sketch it onto paper." She explained shyly. "It's a little embarrassing that you saw it actually. No one usually looks into that sketch book."

"Not at all." Yami reassured her. "I have no knowledge of anyone who has sketched me with such expertise, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I was flattered."

Victoria took a long sip from her tea to prevent herself from saying anything worse as the red on her cheeks continued to darken.

A lengthy awkward silence followed. The very air itself was so thick with anxious feelings and with neither knowing what else to say. It was as though they were a pair of preteens in their first relationship. Victoria mentally shook that thought out of her head.

They weren't even close to have a relationship – at all. But a small part of her mind nudged her teasingly at the fact that the analogy reached her consciousness. She would be lying if she didn't admit that Yami was attractive. Any girl, straight or otherwise, would have to be blind not to see it. His skin was smooth and only slightly tanned, the subtle muscles of his biceps seen under the sleeves of his black t-shirt, the fabric tugged a little around his chest and became a little baggier around his waist until it was tucked into the pair of dark blue jeans he wore with a black belt buckled through the belt loops with a plain silver buckle. The jeans hugged his legs a little and fell to just above his feet. On his feet he wore a pair of white socks – completely expected of a cool day inside. She also noticed his hands – he had long lean fingers that she'd become a little familiar with after watching so many of his duels. She imagined him playing piano with them; he'd reach every key easily no matter the leap between the notes. Of course his hair was what made him most recognisable, the gold bangs hanging around his face and spikes up with the rest of his black and magenta hair – unusual to be sure, but certainly intriguing.

And then there were his eyes. The diamond shaped eyes were what set him apart from Yugi. They were a deep soulful cerise colour that moved like liquid and the emotions that rose to his face were also reflected in these pools of violet-red.

It was observing these eyes when she realised that she'd been staring at him.

And he'd been staring right back at her.

"Yami!"

The both of them jumped, fighting to keep a hold of their mugs as Yugi's voice reached and startled them.

"Y-yes?" Yami replied, turned to leave the kitchen, but Yugi merely walked in before he could. "You took your time, Yugi. What happened?"

"I ran into Tristan and Joey at the store." Yugi replied as he placed the three plastic bags he'd been carrying onto the counter top. "It's nice to see you, Tori. How are you?" he asked, addressing Victoria like Yami wasn't there.

Victoria somehow recognised this tactic. Yugi had been home far longer than he'd allowed them to believe. However, she decided not to voice these suspicions. "I'm well, Yugi. And yourself?"

"I'm well, thanks." Yugi replied, unpacking the bags and beginning to put things away with Yami's unvoiced assistance.

"Hey, Tori~!" Joey exclaimed, striding into the kitchen and putting his arm around her shoulders. "Welcome back. We missed you around here."

"How many times did you meet up between Tuesday and today?" Victoria asked, disbelieving that they'd met up again.

"About three times." Tristan replied. "Nice to see you by the way, I didn't see you on Tuesday." He greeted.

Victoria nodded to him. "You guys really meet up a lot, don't you?" She asked.

"Why wouldn't we? We're all best friends around here – you're no exception by the way." Joey informed her.

Victoria blushed, bit her lower lip and tapped her fingernails on her mug, creating a musical rhythm on the smooth pottery.

"It was Yami who was so anxious to get you back here actually." Joey stated. "He knew that you didn't mean what you had said and insisted on texting you on all three occasions. He practically had to steal your number out of Téa's phone."

"Joey that's not entirely true." Yami said, placing the new carton of milk into the fridge. "You're exaggerating again." He was a little annoyed at Joey for voicing the information they had all agreed to remain secret – and for having his arm around Victoria's shoulders.

Joey turned the subject away from Yami and turned to Victoria. "I take it that you sorted things out with your brother?" He asked, his voice becoming a little softer as he acknowledged the touchy subject.

"Yeah. He even let me get a bike so that I could get here on my own without killing my feet."

"I noticed that bike. That's a pretty nice ride you got there." Tristan complimented.

"Thanks."

"Guys?" A voice called from the living room.

"Téa!" Victoria exclaimed, placing her mug down and running out of the kitchen to embrace the brunette. "I'm so sorry." She stated.

Tea gladly hugged the girl back, wrapping her arms securely around her. "Forgiven the second you left last week."

"Thank you."

. : . : . : .

Victoria stretched as she stood up from the lounge. "I should head off now. If I don't get back before six then my brother won't be impressed."

"He's got you on a curfew?" Joey asked, sounding astonished.

"Oh, I mean my younger brother. We always eat dinner together. I promised I'd always be home for dinner no matter what I did during the day." Victoria explained, collecting her cards from the coffee table. "It's not a curfew, a promise."

"You should do that with Serenity, Joey." Tristan suggested to the blonde male. "See her every few days for dinner or something."

"Nah, she doesn't wanna see me." Joey replied dismissively.

Victoria frowned. "You don't live with your sister?"

Joey shook his head. "No. Ma and Serenity moved back into Domino City, but I still live with Dad."

"Oh, I understand. You should make more of an effort. How do you know that Serenity doesn't want to see you?" Victoria asked. "Believe me. She wants to see you, but you've assumed the worst. Has she ever been ashamed of you?"

"No…"

"Hated you?"

"Not that I know of…"

"Told you that she doesn't want to see you?"

"No."

"Then give her a call and see if she'll want to meet up. If she said she can't then make a date and make sure that the both of you keep it. She's your little sister – and she loves you very much."

"Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Tori."

Victoria smiled. "Anytime." She placed her desk case into her backpack and walked towards the entrance hall and as she slipped into her boots she pulled on her coat.

"Hey, Victoria."

She looked over as Yami walked up to her, a small box in his hands. "Here."

Victoria tilted her head to the side as she took the offered box. It looked plain enough, there weren't any markings on it at all. Curiosity guiding her she opened the lid and gasped in delight. "Teabags!" She exclaimed.

"Choc mint and strawberry cream. Seeing as you couldn't decide between the two I gave you a generous mixture of both." Yami explained.

Thoughtlessly, she threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much! I was wondering how I was going to survive the week without having this tea."

Yami hesitantly returned the embrace, gently placing his hands on her back. "Not a problem."

She swiftly released him to place the box into her bag and ran for the door. "Bye Yami. Thanks again."

With lightning speed she unlocked the chain from her bike and pulled her helmet on without bothering to do the buckle. Leaping onto the bike she set it off towards the mansion. Her heart was pattering away in her chest, her mind registering just what she had done.

What did she hug him for? Sure she was excited to get the tea, but hugging him came from nowhere. She supposed it was a part of her spontaneous nature, but even so there had to be a limit to that. But then there was another thought that came to mind. Why was she so flustered about it? It was just a hug. Friend's hugged. And she'd hugged guys before.

Perhaps she was reading too much into it.

. : . : . : .

The panicked cry died in the back of her throat as the shadows of the new nightmare scattered to the recesses of her mind where she usually wished them to remain – where she could forget them. But this new nightmare was worse than the others.

She shut her eyes again, trying to reclaim the parts of the dream she wanted to recall. But she came up with nothing. The frustration was beginning to tear her apart. The nightmares continued and there wasn't an end in sight – not to mention the lack of sleep. She turned her head to the bedside table where her digital clock was glowing the time in bright green lights. It was two in the morning and yet again she could feel sleep far beyond her reach. She rolled over and used her arms to raise herself onto her hands and knees before sitting up, the thick winter blankets falling off her back and gathered around her waist and folded legs.

Her mind began to wander to the teabags she'd received from Yami. The relaxing scent and taste might lull her back to sleep. She stumbled slightly as she climbed out of bed and to her backpack. Retrieving the box and picking the chocolate mint flavour she made her way down to the kitchen.

She thanked her lucky stars that Yami had been kind enough to give her such a gift. Since she was young she'd always found a warm drink the perfect way to sit back and forget all of her worries and troubles.

It was as if he _knew_.

Humming a tune to herself she set the kettle on to boil and patiently waited after getting her favourite mug – decorated with pink cherry blossoms – and putting the teabag in it, the string hanging over the edge of the rim. She hadn't bothered turning the light on when she walked into the kitchen so the room was cool and dark, the only light coming from the time on the microwave and the moon light shining through the kitchen window.

She shivered and turned to look out the window.

The night was peaceful; there wasn't any kind of disturbance like the one she felt in her heart. She wondered for a moment if she was able to see Yami more often then maybe the terror would finally cease.

The kettle clicked, causing Victoria to jump and then realise a minor flaw in her thoughts.

Why had she only thought of Yami?


	8. Chapter Seven  Complications

Hi everyone~

I wanted to thank all of those who sent me wonderful comments~ I'm really glad that you like this story =3

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven – Complications<p>

Over the weeks, Victoria spent nearly every day at the Motou's, usually carrying and using her sketch pad – though the group didn't know it she was still working for Pegasus so she couldn't just drop it. She told them that she worked on commission and they didn't bother her about it again. They let her sketch and work when she really needed to. Such as on Saturday when she was really running out of time.

It was one of these Saturdays in the third week of November when Victoria was beginning to stress. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning at her page that was covered in sketches.

"Is something the matter?"

She jolted as Yami sat down on the lounge beside her.

"Sorry. You look a little troubled."

She offered Yami a weak smile. "I'm just lost." She admitted. "I have so much that I should have done and…I'm having trouble separating when I need to work and when I can be here. And it doesn't help that when I get home I can't think of anything. I've hit an artist's block and it's driving me crazy."

"You need to send your progress in on Sundays right?"

Victoria nodded. "Tomorrow. And I don't have enough quality or quantity to have any confidence in them."

"Are they an artist like you?"

"Yeah…?"

"Then tell them about your art block. Chances are they have run into several of them as well. They will surely understand." Yami reassured her.

Victoria heaved a sigh. "I can only hope that you're right. He keeps insisting that I need more confidence but I just want to give him the best I can offer. Especially since he's paying me, you know?"

Yami nodded in understanding. "Just give it some time. And remember to draw inspiration from the things – and the people – around you."

"That's what you said before about being a winning duellist."

"It's the same thing. To win a duel you need to remember that winning isn't what you should focus on – focus on those who look up to and support you. If you have the right skills to win then you will one day. It's a matter of practice and patience." Yami chuckled a little as he looked at her page. "Though you hardly need any more practice."

Victoria returned the chuckle. "Thanks, but there will always be someone better. And that's a saying that applies to everything."

"I couldn't agree more."

From the front door came a fast and insistent knocking, causing all of the occupants in the living room to turn towards the door to the entrance hall.

"Who the hell is that?" Joey demanded as Yugi stood from where he'd been sitting on the floor and walked into the entrance hall. "Is there another person you invited?" He asked, turning to Yami.

Yami shook his hand, just as confused as all the rest.

However, to all except Victoria, it was very clear who it was when they gave a great shriek of joy.

"Yugi~!"

Téa instantly giggled. "Rebecca's arrived."

"But we never told her that we'd be here." Yami said.

"I doubt that kind of thing matters to her." Joey stated. "She probably came straight here after she and the Professor arrived in town. It's Yugi she wants to see, not all of us."

Victoria smiled. So the Rebecca they had mentioned some weeks ago had finally appeared. And from the sound of the spiel she was going on about, she'd missed Yugi very much. And when she dragged Yugi back into the living room, she had her arms securely wrapped around his. She had bright green eyes that were sparkling with unbridled joy and her long blonde hair was tied into two high ponytails that fell long and straight down her back. She wore a light pink shirt with a yellow skirt and long white stockings – she must have been wearing a jacket and boots to have survived the awful chill of the approaching winter.

"Hey guys~!" She greeted, waving with one of her hands. "I've arrived in town~!"

"Yeah we can see that." Joey replied, hardly sounding impressed.

"What'd you say?" Rebecca shrieked.

"Easy, now Bec." Téa said, walking over to Rebecca in order to steal a hug from the younger girl – and allow Yugi the chance to release his arm. "It's great to see you."

"You too, Téa." Rebecca replied as she pulled away. "I've missed all of you actually. Huh? Who are you?" She asked, noticing and pointing to Victoria. "Yami's girlfriend?"

Victoria instantly flushed. "Not at all!" She exclaimed – perhaps too loudly – as she stood from the lounge she'd been sharing with Yami. "I'm Victoria Adams. You must be Rebecca." She assumed – though she already knew she was right.

"That's right I am. I'm the youngest regional champion _and_ – "

"Yeah, I know. I saw recordings of your duels in the KC Grand Tournament." It was amazing that the world surrounding Yami, Yugi and their friends was so small. She had no idea that this was the Rebecca they meant. "You're a great duellist."

Rebecca seemed impressed by this flattery and smiled. "Well, good to see that someone recognises my talent."

"Yeah, 'cause no one else does." Joey muttered.

"Oi!"

Victoria giggled a little. Things were certainly going to become a little more exciting around the Motou household during these visits.

Yami turned his eyes from Joey's imminent punishment and to Victoria's back as she lightly giggled in Joey's expense. It shouldn't hurt that she was so adamant of their friendship only status.

But to his surprise, it had.

. : . : . : .

"What are you so upset about?" Tristan asked, noticing Joey's downcast personality. "Surely you aren't beating yourself up after Bec thoroughly kicked your butt? Because we all know that she always had the ability to do that."

"No, no. It's not that. It's Serenity's birthday this Friday. I haven't been able to get her anything and I'm not even invited to the 'family' dinner they're having. I have three days to convince her and I have no idea what I'm going to say."

"Umm, Joey. I have a feeling that you're forgetting a major part of this equation." Victoria said, not even looking up from her book while she continued to sketch. "Maybe you should talk to your _Mother_ about being invited. Because I have a feeling, after what you have told me, she may have arranged that for Serenity and left her with no say in the matter." She explained. "Believe me, sometimes my brothers can be a little like that." She laughed lightly, holding her book out in front of her to admire a sketch that she surprisingly happy with. "Sometimes you just have to look past what they might think and just say or do what you think and know is right. That's how I've always thought and look where it's got me. I hesitated when I found out where Yugi and Yami lived – I wasn't sure if I could make the right impression on Yami when I arrived that I would be a worthy opponent. I have pink hair, pink eyes and a pink duel disk. I looked like a prissy girl by pure chance. But I took the plunge and for the first time I have friends and I couldn't be happier with my life."

This was partially a lie, but they didn't need to know that.

"How do you have such good advice all the time?" Joey asked.

Victoria shrugged. "I have siblings too. So I just understand I guess." She replied. "I always seemed to have a knack of knowing exactly what to say."

"I'll say." Yami agreed. "You have some great wisdom in your heart and mind."

"You're not any different." Victoria replied.

Yami was stunned for a short moment, but slowly smiled. "Well, yes, I guess you're right."

There was a moment of silence that passed over the room, until Rebecca unceremoniously broke it. "Are you sure they're not together?" She asked Yugi.

"No, we're not." Victoria stated with a dark glare.

"It's a reaction like that that only enforces the assumption that you are." Rebecca teased, pushing her aqua rimmed glasses up her nose.

Victoria forced herself to be calm. Yelling would only fuel Rebecca's teasing – Mokuba was exactly the same. "So anyway, Joey. When it comes to a gift, what's Serenity's favourite colour?"

"I think it's pink…" Joey replied.

"You think or you know?"

"It is pink." Téa said.

"Okay then, get her a necklace or a bracelet with pink on it. Or even better, how about a necklace with a shared charm on it – Big Bro and Lil Sis. They're good to remind both of you that you have a sibling even if you don't get to see them very often."

"You're pure genius, Tori!" Joey exclaimed, standing to his feet and heading for the door.

"And where do you think you're going?" Tristan called.

"To get Serenity her birthday present, of course." Joey replied. "And then I'm gonna call Ma and order to invite me to her birthday dinner."

Victoria stood up to inform him that ordering his Mother wouldn't help, but he was already out the door. She sighed, but smiled. "Well I guess if it's meant to be then it'll work out okay in the end." She said softly. "For his sake, I hope it all works out."

"It will. I think that sometimes his Mother just challenges him. Forcing him to take initiative. But it seems it still takes a little push from his friends to get him going in the right direction." Yugi noted. "But that's what we're all here for."

The group nodded in agreement.

"I just hope he knows that he left his deck here." Tristan noted, holding up said deck in his hand.

"We'll just keep it here." Yami said. "Whenever he comes here again we'll make sure that he gets it back."

"I doubt he's thinking about his deck right now." Téa stated.

"He doesn't have anything in that numbskull head of his." Rebecca added with a soft snicker.

"No, he's got something in there right now." Victoria corrected.

"Oh yeah? What?" Rebecca asked.

"A who. His sister."

. : . : . : .

To Victoria's dismay, even into the first week of December, the nightmares did not cease no matter how many times she saw her friends or for how long. She'd gotten to the point where she could no longer imagine her life without them there.

And they'd begun to feel the same. Her instincts had proven correct and Joey had gone out with Serenity and his Mother for his sister's birthday and she'd loved the shared necklace he'd gotten her. Téa and Rebecca had even organised one or two girl's only outings where they just went to a café or a mall and they'd talk and shop – it was something that Victoria had certainly never experienced before.

Better still, Pegasus requested a video call with her on the first Sunday of December and showed her three cards that he had designed with the use of her sketches. He said that he'd been working on them for several weeks but had wanted to wait until they were printed before showing her. He was more than impressed with her sketches and also understood her art block perfectly.

"_Don't force yourself, Miss Kaiba, or you won't provide the works that I expect from you. In fact I am allowing you all of December as a holiday. If you gain any ideas and accumulate sketches over the month then you may send them to me on the first Sunday of January next year. You are one of the best artists I have working for me and I hope that you will learn to love any artwork you create. Because they all come from your imagination after all. They're practically a part of you._

_I will send you a copy of these three cards in the mail in the next few days and you may do with them as you wish. They will be distributed as a new pack for the Christmas crowds. Of course you understand this._"

Victoria had nodded and after he wished her a happy holiday and ended the call she let out a sigh of relief. She was free for a month. Working was hard for sure, and though she loved the work as a whole, she was becoming worn out with everything that had happened so recently in her life.

And she could hardly believe her eyes – he'd made three cards out of the sketches she had pointed out as the worst in the weeks she'd sent them. And yet he had used them.

Was there something wrong with being modest? Or should she just learn to say that she _was_ good and shout it to anyone who asked? No, that would be reducing her mental capacity to Joey's level.

She'd have to tell Rebecca that one; she'd appreciate a statement like that.

Checking the overnight sized suitcase to make sure everything that was essential was there, and remained highly thankful that the Motou's were providing her bedding after realising that she wouldn't be able to carry it on her bike.

In a proper celebration for Christmas they planned to have a sleepover at the Motou's. Seto wasn't very pleased when he'd heard she was sleeping over with a bunch of people he hadn't met, but accepted it after a lot of complaining and convincing and then finally she put her foot down. Though she was worried about the likely event of her nightmares making a frustrating guest appearance, she wasn't missing out on this fun. She enforced that with the fact that she and the girls would be sleeping in an entirely different room to the boys to avoid any kind of awkward moments or situations. Not to mention – though she didn't say this to Seto – that Grandpa would be off to the Hawkins' residence for the night. Apparently he'd be talking and arguing with Professor Hawkins about any and all archaeological finds in the last few years.

She easily zipped up the bag and threw her jacket on before grabbing the handle and running out her door, down the stairs and towards the garage where she kept her bike. She securely strapped the hard cased bag to the rack on the back of her bike and tugged her helmet onto her head. Her heart was doing absolute flips in her chest, her excitement unimagined – even to her. She'd had little sleepovers before, though not quite to the scale her friends told her it would be. Apparently it was a tradition of the group to meet at a person's place to celebrate Christmas so they were free to celebrate Christmas with their families.

For Victoria's convenience, they'd decided on the Motou's house this year.

She easily climbed onto the bike, kicked up the brake and rode over to the large roller door, dodging the other cars as she went. Pressing the little red button the remote attached to the wall she clipped her helmet straps, waiting for the door to raise high enough for her to ride out of. Once she'd slowly toed the bike out she reached a hand around to press the button again, when she realised that she was being watched.

"Trying to stop me again?" She asked.

"Not at all." Seto replied. "I came to wish you a safe night. And if you need anything I'm just a phone call away." He informed her, taking her hand and holding it gently between two of his.

Victoria nodded, feeling heat pooling from her hand up to her cheeks. "Thanks. Say bye to Mokuba for me." She said, dropping her hand and beginning to ride away when a voice called out to her, screaming actually.

She hauled to a stop and turned as Mokuba skidded out of the garage and slammed into her, causing the bike to tip to the side. Victoria yelped, using her left foot to hold herself, the bike and Mokuba upright – the feat made more difficult by the bag weighing the bike down.

"Easy, Mokuba, you could have killed us." She said with a laugh.

"I had to hug you goodbye!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"You sound like a child." Seto stated, having appeared and grabbed Mokuba by the scruff of his shirt to pull him off her.

"So what if I do?" Mokuba complained.

"I'll be fine guys. I promise. If anything you should think me safer than usual tonight."

"And why is that?" Seto asked.

"I told you, the guys are all sleeping in the living room – the only way to another room in the house is through that living room." Victoria said with a wink, hiding the fact that was another reason why she was happy to go. "See you guys sometime tomorrow afternoon." She farewelled, turning the bike down the large driveway and to the front gate – which was opened for her as always – and rode at a speedy pace towards the Motou's.

She'd realised that the reason her nightmares continued was because of what the clown had said. '_Not this time_' he'd said. Something about that unsettled her more than his intentions did. She feared that perhaps she looked like the one that got away and that no jail cell could keep him from gaining his goal. And if his obsession with her ran so deeply as to abduct her in the middle of a crowd then she had every reason to believe that he would find her one day. This scared her like nothing else.

As she entered the more residential area that surrounded the Game Shop she began to observe the various Christmas paraphernalia that lined and decorated the homes and small businesses that she passed. It was Saturday the twelfth of December and for a week there had been nothing but Christmas present ads on the television and on the internet, along with the appearance of the tacky decorations such as blow up Santa's and plastic reindeer along with cheap looking tinsel and stringed lights. Though of course there was the rare house with rather classy looking lights and light up plastic candy canes lining garden beds and paths that were worth stopping to take a look at. But that time of the day left all lights off and so those houses weren't exactly any different to usual.

The Game Shop was one of those places that had some of the tacky decorations, but was done in such a minute way that it looked nice enough. Grandpa – with the assumed help of Yugi and Yami – had lined the front door with gold tinsel and inside there were stringed lights lining the ceiling of the shop and small Christmas decorations in the theme of Duel Monsters was placed on shelves and such. A part of her horror though, was that the new sets of Duel Monster's cards had been released. Hopefully the group wouldn't recognise the images from her scratchy sketches.

She brought the bike to a halt outside the front door to the house section and knocked to let them know she'd arrived before she swung her leg to the other side and began to move the bike to the garden railing where she always tied it.

The door slid open and there stood Yami.

"That was fast." Victoria commented.

Yami chuckled as he kicked his heel into a second boot. "I was heading to the store. Just when we thought we had everything." He said, rolling his eyes slightly.

Victoria giggled. "Happens to everyone, huh? Is anyone else here?"

"No, you're the first again."

She nodded. "Hang on a sec, I'll take you." She said, leaving the chain off the bike and turning to her bag.

Yami paused, instantly confused.

"What?" She asked, holding her light bag in one hand.

"How?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

She placed the bag just inside the door. "Just hop on the rack on the back of the bike and I can take you there. Do you have a helmet?" She asked.

He gave her an unreadable look, which left her with nothing – until he pointed to his hair.

"Okay, point taken." Victoria muttered, taking her helmet off and throwing it inside as well.

"Shouldn't you keep that on?" Yami asked as she climbed back into the seat of the bike.

"To be honest I can't be bothered." She replied, waiting for him to get on. Once he was sitting sideways on the rack, one hand holding onto the back of the rack and the other holding onto the front, she set off. She realised instantly that she had underestimated the weight limit and the balance of the bike. She pressed on, however, not wanting to go back on her word.

"Are you alright?" Yami asked, noticing the struggle she was having keeping the bike upright and in a straight line.

"Just fine. I'm just not used to a passenger." Victoria admitted.

"Uh, Victoria. Do you know where the store is?"

Victoria stopped short, placing both feet onto the concrete, blinking to herself. "No." She admitted.

Yami chuckled. "Here, let me take over." He offered, getting off the bike.

Victoria hesitantly got off the seat and allowed him to get on. She then took his place on the rack, carefully holding onto it with both hands.

Once he was sure that she was seated, he turned the bike right around and took it in the opposite direction. Victoria instantly began to blush. She'd been leading off in completely the wrong direction. She supposed her excitement had clouded her more intelligent thoughts.

She'd never been grocery shopping and it seemed to be the perfect opportunity.

It wasn't long until Yami pulled the bike up to a bike parking stand and they both climbed off so that he could roll the wheel over the bar and into place so that it wouldn't fall over. While he did this, Victoria fished the chain and lock out of her backpack to chain the bike to the stand.

They walked through the medium sized car-park and entered through the automatic doors. The store was small and clearly only used by locals. There was more Christmas decorations inside the store than she could have imagined was legal. Even the shopping basket that Yami picked up had a trimming of tinsel around the rim.

"So what did you need to get?" She asked as they joined the bustle of fellow shoppers who were all buzzing with Christmas cheer.

"Just some bits and pieces. Snacks and such. And probably something for breakfast." Yami replied. "I wouldn't have a clue what to get though." He admitted, leading the way to the snack food and lolly aisle.

"I can do breakfast." Victoria offered. "I make the best pancakes. So my brother says." She explained. "And I make them from scratch."

Yami smiled. "Is that okay?" He asked, picking a packet of flavoured biscuits into the basket.

"I offered, didn't I?" She asked back, holding up a packet of lollies with the brand on it that she'd heard Rebecca mention. Yami nodded and she added it to the basket.

"Well, if you're sure, that would be great if you could do that." Yami replied. "What do you need to make them?"

"A cup of milk, a cup of self-raising flour and an egg." Victoria replied. "And also chocolate chips." She said, cheekily sticking out her tongue. "Though I might have to double the batch if Joey and Tristan are going to be eating with us…"

"Chocolate chips?" He inquired.

"Of course. It's my not-so-secret secret addition to the timeless recipe." Victoria replied, sounding much like Joey when he went on a spiel about a skill he had.

Yami chuckled. "Well, I'm certain that we have eggs and flour. It would be smart to get a carton of milk though. And we'll need that secret addition."

Victoria giggled a little. "Okay."

As they collected the items that Yami was after, Victoria located the milk and chocolate chips. Luckily she had her wallet on her so she intended to pay for the two items herself. When they approached the self serving registers, Victoria attempted to go to a separate register, when Yami easily guided her to his and before she could so much as protest, he scanned the items through.

"Yami!"

"It's fine." He replied, paying for the items. "You'll be cooking them, so no complaints. Or I'll take your bike and leave you here." He warned, as he managed to fit the single plastic bag into Victoria's bag as she held it open for him. "Come on, the other's will have probably arrived by now." He said, leading the way out of the store.

Victoria followed Yami, pouting lightly as she carefully swung her bag onto her back. "I appreciate it, but I could have paid for them."

"I'll leave you behind." He warned playfully, giving her a meaningful look.

"Only if you can unlock the chain. I have the only key." Victoria reminded him, holding up the small silver key on a key ring. Yes, she had a spare at home, but that was beside the point.

"I'm sure I could get it from you somehow." Yami said, hardly worried.

Victoria scoffed. "I'd like to see you try."

Yami was about to respond, but the comment died in the back of his throat as his eyes fell on the bike rack. "Oh no. Victoria, I need you to play along, please. Just trust me." He said, looking at her with his cerise eyes filled with some kind of emotion that she couldn't put her finger on. Something she hadn't seen in his eyes before. The best word she could think of was…fear.

Victoria was confused, but looked over at the bike rack and felt her blood go cold. "What do we do?"

Yami promptly took her hand. "Just play along. They won't hurt you if you're with me. Ignore them and be calm. Luckily we have a fast get away. Unlock the bike as quickly as you can and I'll get you away from them as quickly as I can, understand?" He instructed quietly as they approached the bike rack.

Loitering around the bike rack was a group of rough looking young men. They were either older than her or older than Yami, but that didn't matter. Just the sight of them made her skin tingle – though that could have also been Yami's hand being so securely wrapped around her own. As they approached there was no denying the wolf whistles and jeers were directed at her. She looked down at her feet, tightening her hold on Yami's hand to help maintain her cool.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Yami Motou." A rough, yet strangely attractive voice, sneered. "You've got yourself a cute girl there."

"You have no reason to bother us." Yami said, a warning deep in the menacing tone of his voice.

Victoria didn't need telling twice when Yami slowly released her hand and she knelt beside the bike to unlock the chain. Once it was unlocked she handed the chain and lock to Yami so that he could place them into her backpack.

"Aww, but we wanna hang out with your girl for a bit. Come on, just leave her with us. We'll take good care of her." The same voice sneered, the rest of his group chortled in agreement.

"How about you ask her? Though I doubt she'll accept." Yami assured them. "We have a night of our own planned. Don't we, Tori?" He asked, looking into her eyes so help her maintain focus.

Victoria loved the sound of her nickname rolling off his tongue, so much so that it nearly threw her off. "Yeah." She whispered, allowing herself to smile in a slightly flirty way, reaching for his hand again. She noticed the stunned expression in his eyes before it faded to keep up the act.

Without another word, they got onto the bike and thankfully without an interruption of the genuinely disappointed, but not completely discouraged group of idiots, Yami set the bike at a speedy pace back to the Game Shop. Victoria had both of her arms wrapped around Yami's middle – both maintaining the act and because the fright was beginning to make itself known. Her body began to shake. She'd been in a situation similar to that one – but never with more than one person, let alone a group of overly hormonal guys.

"What if they follow us?" She asked worriedly.

"They'll find another girl to bother – and I hope she has a good getaway like we do." Yami replied. "Are you okay?"

Victoria nodded a little, but it was more to convince herself than him.

Yami took the responsibility of chaining the bike on the garden railing when they returned and led Victoria into the house with her fingers clinging tightly to his jacket sleeve.

Yugi entered through the living room door, a smile on his face, as they were kicking off their shoes. "Hey Yami – oh, Tori. Hi."

Victoria put on a smile for Yugi. "Hi."

Yugi's smile faltered. "Did something happen?"

Yami shook his head as he removed his coat, forcing Victoria to let go for a moment until she could latch onto his shirt sleeve. "They were there."

Yugi blanched. It appeared that he had run into the group several times as well. "What did they do? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"They could have. We had Tori's bike, so we were able to get away more efficiently than normally."

"Those freaks." Yugi stated darkly.

That statement startled Victoria. True it was childish, but she'd never heard Yugi refer to a person like that. "Are they usually there?"

Yami nodded as he helped her shrug out of her coat and hung it on a hook. "It doesn't help that they know who Yugi and I are because of our duelling status. They're pretty harmless. It's just that they can be very intimidating. Are you sure that you're okay?" He asked.

Victoria nodded.

"You're shaking."

She looked at her hands, which were in fact shaking rather violently. "They always do that." She insisted.

Yami sighed, not at all believing her. "Come on; let's get you sitting down with a cup of tea, okay? Yugi is anyone else here?"

"Yeah, Rebecca's already getting into her pyjamas upstairs." Yugi replied, looking a little exasperated.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea." Victoria admitted. She looked towards where she'd left her bag to find that it was missing. "Where's my bag?" She inquired softly.

"I put it up in our room." Yugi replied, his smile returning. "It's where the girls will be sleeping tonight."

"I think I'll go and get changed." She said, opening her backpack and handing Yami the groceries. "Thank you." She whispered as Yami handed Yugi the bag – he promptly left to out the groceries away. "I, uh, well. Things could have gotten rather messy." She said, when Yami turned his attention back to her.

"The thing to remember is that it _didn't_." Yami stated. "You are safe. I'm just glad that you trusted me." To her surprise a slight tinge of pink rose to his cheeks. "I admit that smile you flashed was a little surprising. I didn't expect that."

Victoria flushed herself. "Well, being an artist I studied different facial expressions." She explained, her eyes exploring the weaving in the carpet. "When I did this I looked in a mirror and put them to practice. I just happened to remember that one, that's all." She let out a soft chuckle. "And you finally called me 'Tori'."

"What?"

"Tori." Victoria replied. "I like it when people call me that."

"Oh, well. I guess it just came out." Yami explained. "So, you go and get changed. I'll get your tea ready. Our room is second on the left." He directed, motioning to the stairs as they entered the living room.

Victoria nodded and made her way up the stairs. It didn't take much to find Yami and Yugi's room – it was now open and Rebecca was emerging in a pair of what appeared to be brand new pink silk pyjamas with a button down top and string tied pants that were the perfect length for her. There was no doubt that she was trying to get Yugi's attention.

"Hi, Tori." Rebecca greeted.

"Hey, Bec. Looking great. I'm sure he'll notice." Victoria teased with a wink.

Rebecca blushed, but giggled. "Yeah, I'm sure he will." She replied, making her way down the hall then down the stairs.

Victoria smiled and closed the door to the boy's room, and as the smell of attractive young men settled around her, she turned to observe it. Though she was a little shaky, the sight of the room made her feel like she was at home.

It was basic, cleaner than she'd imagine a boy's room would be – but of course Yami and Yugi were both pretty clean guys. The walls were painted a warm blue colour and the carpet a comfortable shade of gray.

On one side of the room was a bed that Rebecca had clearly claimed as her own. The bed had been left messily made, and didn't look like it had been affected by Rebecca too much. That had to be Yugi's bed. Opposite her was a desk that enforced whose side of the room was whose. On the left side of the desk was a light blue reading lamp with fading duel monsters stickers on it – Yugi had clearly had that lamp for many years. There were also scattered duel monsters cards on the desk, the boys probably shared cards and strategies. On the centre of the desk was a desktop computer that they obviously shared.

To the right side of the desk was a black reading lamp that looked relatively new and what appeared to be a classic, thickly bond novel sitting beside it. Yami's side. His bed was almost perfectly made, though it looked like he'd sat on it after he'd made it – probably to read.

Both sides of the room had identical self assembled closets facing the beds and against the same wall as the door. She assumed that like the different sides of the room, the contents of the closets would be just as different.

She knew that she couldn't just take the other bed, Téa was yet to arrive. So Victoria just placed her bag down towards Yami's side to prevent any conflict with Rebecca and opened it to find her pyjamas.

She was sure to feel severely underdressed when standing near Rebecca. Victoria hadn't planned on impressing anyone, so she bought her black tank top with a square cut neckline – with which she'd wear a comfortable gray, button down cardigan – and her old, way too long for her, dark aqua flannel pants with pale yellow pin stripes which fell a little low on her hips if she wasn't careful and which she often stood on as they were too long.

She shrugged.

It was just a sleepover.


	9. Chapter Eight Odd Sleepover

Before I start the chapter I'm terribly sorry for my absence and lack of activity.

The backlight on my laptop died and I was without it for near over two weeks while it was getting fixed.

:)

Without further or do, please enjoy ^_^

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eight – Odd Sleepover<span>

Before she made her way back down the stairs she grabbed the box of freshly made cookies she'd baked that morning from her suitcase and slung her backpack onto her shoulder.

She could hear the voices of some more people and when she entered the living room she discovered that Joey and Tristan had both arrived. Joey was already being told off by Rebecca for a smart remark he'd made – she was punching his arm as he was backing himself into a corner – and Tristan was tinkering by the television with an Xbox 360 along with several connection cords.

This night was definitely going to be interesting.

Victoria decided not to bring any attention to herself; she just placed the box of shortbread, Christmas themed cookies, now opened, onto the coffee table, dumped her bag by the lounge and walked towards the kitchen. She found Yami and Yugi standing and simply talking as the kettle was coming to the boil. "Hi guys."

Yami turned and Yugi looked around his 'brother'. The both of them still looked a little worried.

"Hey, are you feeling better?" Yami asked.

Victoria shrugged, holding a hand up to view the slight shaking. "I'm nearly back to normal." She said. "Is my tea nearly finished?" She asked, putting on a tone that caused Yugi to laugh and made a point by leaving the kitchen, as she leaned her elbows against the counter to watch the kettle.

"I'm not your slave." Yami joked.

"You offered to make it." Victoria countered.

Yami huffed out a sound of laughter resting his hands on the countertop beside her. "Well, I'll make it in my own time, Tori."

Victoria grinned as the kettle clicked. "Come on then, slave. Make the tea." She teased.

Yami didn't say anything, but tried not to smile as he poured the water into the waiting mugs. He'd made several teas for her, and many times with her closely observing him, this time around though there was something oddly different.

So much so that he couldn't quite pick what it was.

He knew one thing though: whether it was intentional or not, she had begun to lead him on.

It was clear through her continuous and adamant denial of any further relationship that proved this to him time and time again whenever Rebecca would bring it up. It was stupid of him to keep it on his mind, but nothing that he'd attempted had worked. It didn't help that Yugi continuously brought it up with him every time that Victoria left the house – or any time really.

But then, there were the suspicions. The obvious secrets that she had that she failed to keep concealed. She didn't tell them the secrets, but the whole group knew they were there. It was their respect for her and the fact that she'd only recently joined the group that kept them from asking questions.

Everyone had secrets, Victoria just happened to have more than all of them at that point.

"Whoever made the cookies, they're mine now!"

Victoria giggled. "Leave some for everyone else, Joey!" She called.

"You made cookies?" Yami asked, handing her the mug of tea.

Victoria shrugged. "I was making some for my brothers so I just doubled the batch."

"You're quite the chef, aren't you?" Yami asked.

Victoria smiled a little with another shrug. "I just enjoy cooking. I don't get to cook very often anymore." She explained. She took a long sip of the tea. "Ugh, we forgot the milk." She said, placing the mug down and walking to the fridge. She was so familiar with the Motou residence that she knew where everything in the kitchen was and she knew she could go looking for anything that she needed without asking.

"Sorry, Master. I forgot." Yami teased, sipping his tea.

Victoria laughed. "That's right, you did." She agreed playfully.

"Come on you two lovebirds!" Rebecca called.

"We're not lovebirds." Victoria stated, pouring milk into her tea and then putting the carton back.

Ignoring the complaint, Rebecca continued. "Téa's here and we're ready to start the challenge."

"What challenge?" Victoria asked to Yami, placing the milk back into the fridge.

Yami sighed. "Halo."

"Halo…?"

"Don't tell me I just heard that word used in a question." Tristan stated, suddenly appearing in the doorway.

Victoria picked up her tea and shared a glance with Yami, her eyebrows raised in confusion. "Have I said something wrong?"

"Halo is like the best game. Ever." Tristan stated, grabbing her free arm and dragging her into the living room. "How can you not know what it is?"

"I just don't. My brothers and I only like Duel Monsters. We don't even own a gaming console." Victoria explained – this even surprised her considering the money that they had. They could have any and all gaming consoles their hearts desired. But then that would be endorsing the competition, she supposed.

"Then you're about to receive some seriously needed education." Tristan said, seating her on the lounge adjacent to the television – Rebecca sitting on the one opposite her, holding Yugi's arm hostage. Joey and Téa were sitting on the television facing lounge. "As always, Joey and I are first players, as first and second placed last year." He announced, sitting between Joey and Téa and picked up a black controller.

Yami sat down beside Victoria as the pair started a game of 'Slayer' and instantly began to hunt each other down. "The point of Halo is to save the world from aliens, basically. 'Slayer' however is a one-on-one option where you can fight each other." He explained as Tristan's character found Joey's and easily assassinated him.

Victoria's eyes went wide as Tristan cheered himself before concentrating on the game again. Joey's character respawned and the hunt began again.

"Tristan is like an expert. While Joey, Yugi and I are experts at Duel Monsters. He spends his time perfecting his Halo game play." Yami explained. "He's apparently a world champion, but I'm not sure if I can believe that until I see some solid proof."

"Seems a little more violent than Duel Monsters."

Yami shrugged. "He enjoys it. Though I'm not exactly keen on the game, it can be rather amusing to watch. The screen and the players." He added, nodding his head towards Joey who looked like he was straining way too hard. "Joey is pretty good at the game and he enjoys it when he's able to beat me at it – but he gets schooled by Tristan every time."

Victoria chuckled softly and continued to watch as Joey and Tristan destroyed one another on the video game. She instantly decided that she'd like to have a go – when it was her turn of course. She would wait patiently.

By the time it was Victoria's turn Joey, Yami and Tristan were all in for the next round. She was to play against Téa, who admitted that she wasn't a very good player either so Victoria was very glad for that. But she'd have to play against Rebecca after that – and Rebecca was nearly a pro. Yami sat beside Victoria as she played, instructing her when she needed it and explained which buttons she needed for each function in the game. To her surprise she defeated Téa, thereby excluding her from the challenge.

"Wow! That was awesome for a first try." Yugi complimented.

"She won't survive against me though~!" Rebecca announced, swapping seats with Téa. "I'm a computer genius, these games are a cinch for me."

"Bring it on." Victoria challenged playfully.

Fifteen minutes later and Rebecca was staring at the screen in horror.

"She beat Bec..." Joey muttered.

"I beat her….?" Victoria whispered to herself, also staring at the screen – but with immense surprise. "Wow."

"You're one of the lucky few." Yami stated.

"Hmm?"

"You're a natural." Yami replied with a smile.

"Well, I doubt she'll be able to beat any of us." Tristan said, grinning widely.

. : . : . : .

After the challenge was over, the rest of the group changed into their pyjamas in honour of the tradition – whatever tradition it was – and Téa informed Victoria that she would be sleeping on a futon on the floor in Yami and Yugi's room. "I'm used to using a futon when sleeping at any house these days. I just bring my own so you're free to take Yami's bed. Don't want to waste the space right?" She'd asked with a bright smile.

Tristan was victorious in the challenge – to no one's surprise – but Victoria managed to thoroughly defeat Joey by complete chance, but Yami took her out before she had to face against Tristan.

"I can't believe she beat me…" Joey muttered blankly, pizza still sitting in his mouth.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth." Victoria ordered him, no longer caring about the statement he'd repeated several times in the last hour.

They'd ordered pizza for dinner and opened bottles of soft drink. The awkward part of the situation was that they had been asked by Grandpa to eat their main meals at the table in the kitchen. Therefore they were squished around the table made to set four people – all seven of them. Luckily for her, Victoria was seated between Téa and Rebecca so she was feeling a little more comfortable with her position.

"What should we do now that the challenge is over?" Yugi asked.

"I don't think I want to watch or play anymore video games right now." Téa announced, subtly saying that she was against the Xbox for the moment.

"How about some movies then?" Rebecca suggested.

"Like what?" Joey asked, instantly knowing that he didn't like the direction the suggestion was taking.

"I don't think the Motou's own any chick flicks." Victoria assured him.

"We don't." Yami agreed. "But if I know Rebecca…"

"I took the honour of bringing a few from my vast collection." Rebecca said with a bright smile.

Victoria giggled in amusement. "You do realise that it's three against four either way, Bec?" She asked. "Though I'm not one for chick flicks, I'd rather a good thriller or subtle horror."

"Subtle horror?" Tristan asked.

"I don't like the really scary ones that are full of suspense. But a movie with a guy running around simply killing people is good fun."

"Fun?" Rebecca asked, absolutely astonished.

"The big breasted blonde, dumb bimbos that run up the stairs when they should run out the front door as they run away from a guy in a mask and a way too big knife? Yes, it is fun." Victoria replied. "No offense to the blonde part."

Rebecca shrugged. "I'm not dumb, so none taken."

Victoria smiled slightly. "Either way, what movie _should_ we decide on?"

"You're all free to search through our collection after you've eaten." Yami replied. "We have a few decent horror films though."

"No way, I can't handle those movies." Téa stated.

"After all of the things we've seen in our lifetime, you can't handle a little horror movie?" Tristan asked, with his eyebrows raised. "Seriously, Téa?"

"No, I can't." Téa enforced.

Victoria chuckled. "No worries, I'm not really in the mood for watching girls being hunted anyway."

"Been through enough of that today, huh?" Rebecca asked.

Victoria nodded and focused on chewing her pizza. "I don't understand what makes those guys think that intimidation and horrible deodorant will ever get them anywhere with a girl of any status or preference." She commented. "I mean, seriously. Other than being rude it's just pain insulting to the female populace along with the rare few men who are actually on a level of normal."

"They're all just idiots." Téa assured her.

"That's stating the obvious." Joey added.

"But I mean…why is that they think it will work? I admit, I'm concerned that I haven't answered that question yet." Victoria admitted.

Yami frowned. "What do you mean?"

Victoria scoffed to herself. "Believe me; I've been in several situations just like that one this afternoon." She explained. "Though I've never been up against so many guys at once, I've been approached by many guys with the same stance, same god awful odour and the same manners. True, many of those situations were when I was younger and most of them didn't know any better – they were copying the actions of their less than honourable fathers who carried their sexist personality on to their hormonal driven sons."

"Where you used to live…?" Téa asked softly, having been curious since she'd met the girl.

Victoria nodded. "I'd rather not state where or what place I was living in, but I – along with several other girls who were much more innocent and much less experienced with handling and knocking back the advances of a less than appropriate male – were in a place that did not provide us much protection. We had to fend for ourselves and even now I fear for the ones I had to leave behind." She sighed. "Téa, that man, who attacked me that day we met. Believe me when I say, I've had closer calls."

"You were attacked?" Joey demanded, standing from his seat.

"Just about." Victoria replied. "Don't worry about it. I've mostly forgotten about it now and I'm not bothered by it too much." Another patent lie. She prayed to herself again that her nightmares would – for once – take a much appreciated night off. "Sorry, I think I've said more than I should have." She admitted, noticing the silence that settled on the group, even Joey and Tristan had stopped eating.

"No, it's okay." Téa reassured her.

"We're here if you ever need to talk about anything." Yami added from his seat beside her.

Victoria toyed with the slight curl of her left twin ponytail. "I'm just…beginning to feel like I can tell you all anything – especially when you guys tell us the ins and outs of your days."

"Don't feel obligated to reveal the ins and outs of our life if you're not ready." Rebecca informed her.

"Hah, I'm not quite that ready. There are things even my brothers don't know about." Victoria explained. "Either way…thanks for not thinking less of me."

"Why would we think less of you?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, if anything you're a victim." Joey said with a snicker.

"I'll show you victim!" Victoria warned, standing from her seat and causing Joey to – in a panic – flee from the kitchen with her close behind him.

By the time the rest of the group found them, Victoria had Joey in a headlock, dragging him back down the stairs. He was severely hunched over because of their height difference, though he looked like he could easily flip her off him if he really wanted to.

"Ugh, let me go, Tori!" Joey demanded.

"Nope. Not yet."

Rebecca laughed, holding Yugi's arm with hers. "You're getting what you deserved Joey!"

Though quietly, Victoria released Joey as the group settled around the television and Yami opened the long drawer cabinet to browse the DVDs. "Thanks for breaking the ice." She said. "It was getting a little awkward."

Joey just shrugged and placed his arm around her shoulders, leading her over to the lounge closest to the kitchen door and seating her down. "Not a problem, Tori." He whispered and stepped over to the television to look over Yami's shoulder.

She sat back and decided that she wouldn't sketch or think about any of her worries. She was surrounded by her friends now and there was nothing that could cause her any problems. Until she would have to go to sleep. Luckily, if most sleepovers were the same then there would be no problem staying up all night with the rest of the group.

After a very long discussion and by process of vote and elimination, a science-fiction movie was chosen – though Yami explained that there was a touch of romance and thriller woven into the storyline.

As the beginning credits and such were playing, Tristan turned off the light in the living room and Yami and Yugi vanished into the kitchen and returned before the main part of the story began – they bought with them an assortment of lollies and chips in bowls to place them on the square coffee table, along with drinks and plastic cups and a permanent marker pen.

"What's that for?" Victoria asked holding the pen up as Yami took a seat beside her.

"To write your name on your cup." Yami replied, sitting back and turning most of his focus onto the movie.

Victoria smiled widely. What a clever idea? She chose a cup and decided to be intelligent and write something amusing on her cup. She side glanced at Yami and silently snickered to herself as she wrote 'Yami's Master' on her cup. She then grabbed a cup and wrote on it 'Tori's Slave'. "You want a drink?" She whispered.

Yami nodded. "Lemonade, if you don't mind."

Victoria nodded and poured the clear sparkling liquid into his cup and handed it to him. She waited patiently, even as he absently sipped the drink and she poured her own. Even as she was drinking it and still paying attention to the movie she waited for his reaction. Waiting for the moment that he would take notice of the writing in her neat script and hopefully make a slight fool of himself – for once.

Sadly it wasn't until the second movie – a thriller and comedy – reached its end that he looked at the cup and saw the writing. Unfortunately for him he happened to be having the last of his third drink and chocked into the cup. After this he began to cough as the bubbly liquid became caught in his windpipe. "Tori!"

Victoria couldn't help it; she began to giggle as the eyes of their friends turned on them questioningly. "I'm sorry, Yami. I couldn't resist. They had to match." She said, showing him her cup. "I didn't have a choice."

"What….?" Joey asked.

Victoria showed him the writing on both the cups, causing the rest of the group to fall apart in laughter – much to Yami's annoyance.

"Don't worry, you can throw the cup out later." Victoria assured him.

"You do realise how bad that can sound though, Tori?" Rebecca asked.

Victoria tilted her head to the side at the younger girl, instantly confused.

"Uum, 'Yami's Master'. 'Tori's Slave'. That really doesn't sound very pure." Rebecca said, grinning widely.

Victoria flushed. "What have you been reading?" She asked, horrified. "Your head is deep in the gutter, Miss Hawkins."

"Say so if you like, but you wrote it." Rebecca said, her grin morphing into a sly smile.

Victoria glared and turned to the television. "Are we planning on watching another movie?" She asked, desperately hoping to change the subject.

"Sure. Why don't we watch something a little more terrifying this time?" Joey suggested.

"No, please don't." Téa pleaded.

"How about this one though?" Joey asked, holding up a well known slasher flick that hinted parodies throughout the whole film. "You've seen this one before right, Téa?"

Téa smiled. "Yeah."

"Ooh, I love that one!" Rebecca exclaimed.

"How about you, Tori? You seen this one?" Joey asked.

Victoria shook her head. "I've heard of it, though."

"You'll love it. I mean, Téa can handle it." Joey assured her, swapping the previous DVD with the new one. "Here, read the back." He said, handing the case to her.

Victoria looked over the summary of the slasher film, a small smile forming on her lips. "Awesome."

"That sounded a little wicked." Yami commented.

She poked the tip of her tongue out playfully before leaning forward to place the case on the table.

. : . : . : .

Fifteen minutes into the film and Victoria was clinging to Yami's hand.

She'd jumped twice and screamed at least once – to her knowledge. But there was something about the movie that kept her eyes glued to the screen. That was until the stabbing began in each gruesome, blood splattering murder scene. Sharply wincing and squinting her eyes half shut – she still wanted to see the events, just not in so much clarity.

Unconsciously, with each suspenseful moment of the movie she slowly shifted closer to him.

Without much of a thought, he transferred her hand into his other and draped his now free arm over the back of the lounge.

The night grew later and it was nearly one in the morning when the credits of the movie began to roll. Rebecca was happily accepting Yugi's nervous arm around her shoulders and Victoria's head had lolled to the side against Yami's shoulder, her body completely slumped.

Yami looked down at her, originally thinking that she was relaxing after the constant tensing of her muscles during the suspenseful film, only to discover that her eyes were softly shut. Her chest was slowly rising and falling in her deep slumber. He smiled with amusement and slight awe.

He couldn't deny that he enjoyed viewing the peaceful beauty that she was when she was sleeping.

Without a word Yami rearranged the placement of her arms into her lap, slipped his arm around her back and then looped his other arm under her knees – with ease he lifted her off the lounge.

Téa looked over at the movement and she smiled with a sympathetic chuckle. "Time for the child to go to bed."

"No, the children are already in bed." Yami whispered, motioning with a tilt of his head towards Joey who was fast asleep and falling off the lounge he was sharing with Tristan who had his head leaning far back over the back of the lounge. "I'll take Tori upstairs. I won't be long."

With a steady hold on Victoria he delicately carried her up the stairs, careful not to allow her head or feet to hit the walls of the narrow stairway. As he reached the landing she shifted – he paused mid-step. She twisted, making a small whimper as she nuzzled her temple against his shoulder.

She continued to sleep.

After taking a quiet breath in Yami continued, easily nudging the door open with his sock clad foot, blanketing part of the room with the dim light shining from the hallway light.

Setting his eyes upon his bed he discovered a dilemma – the blankets were right up under the pillow. It would be difficult to place her into the bed without putting her down. Walking over, he placed her down and holding her into a seated position he looped her arms around his neck.

"Keep a tight hold around my neck, Tori." He whispered and to his surprise she responded in kind, her fingers lacing between each other and clamping together. She continued to nuzzle the side of her face into his shoulder with small whimpers that worried him slightly.

Was she dreaming of something troublesome?

With an arm still under her knees he used the other to push the covers back and then finally lay her down, her head on the pillow, straightened her legs out and then quietly pulled the blankets back over the bed and up to her shoulders.

It was a long moment before he could detangle her arms from his neck, her hold stronger than he anticipated as he – one by one – unlinked each of her fingers from each other and placed her arms by her side.

Under the slight illumination of the hallway light she was still shining. Peaceful, until her face shifted and she slowly rolled over, moaning tiredly as she did so.

And in a small voice a name came out in a breath of air.

"Seto…"

Yami's eyes widened and he became to realise.

Two brothers, one older and one younger. She was adopted into their family and she'd never done several day to day things that required a large amount of freedom. How she wasn't at all surprised that he was a Pharaoh and had wandered as a spirit for five thousand years. One of the brothers had to have told her about that at one point. Mokuba the most likely.

And he also knew…he no longer had a chance.

The stabbing pains in his chest still digging in deeper he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the door a little open and continuing to illuminate her features. Reaching the top of the stairs he took a steadying breath to contain the agony and made his way down the stairs to join his friends.

Back in his room, Victoria's face contorted and she tossed her head to the side, her legs twitching restlessly, she twisted and turned her body onto her back again, an arm reaching up, fingers stretched out in a pleading way.

"No. Not Mokuba, too. Please. Yami…Yami where are you? Why aren't you helping me?" As she spoke, her hand lowered and a tear escaped her tightly shut eyelids.

"Please…help me…"

. : . : . : .

Eyes snapped open and panic involuntarily set in.

Where was she? Why was she there? And why was her bed suddenly so small? She was staring at a wall, though it was rather hard to know as it was still very dark. She raised herself from her stomach and turned her view to observe where she was – memory began to return, she remembered that she was at the Motou's and her panic diminished.

From the window came a dim blue shaded light that was still too dark to be any kind of proper hour – with a glance at Yami's clock she confirmed her suspicions. Yet another early morning for her.

And from the completely crashed looks on Téa and Rebecca's faces she knew for the moment it would be a long time until any of her friends would be waking.

It didn't hurt to pass some time she supposed.

Once her eyes had sufficiently adjusted to the darkness she made her way to her bag and grabbed a spare pair of underwear – she decided to just stay in her pyjamas – and a thicker jacket before quietly leaving the room and into the hallway where there was marginally less light. This didn't worry her as Téa had already told her where towels were kept and Victoria found the closet without a worry and just picked any towel that felt big enough.

Upon arriving at the bathroom door – the light left on all night to assist any person in finding the needed room – she tightly shut her eyes and took a step in, closing the door silently, but quickly behind her. She blindly clicked the lock on the door just to be sure. Once the stinging behind her eyelids ceased she slowly opened her eyes again.

Not wasting any time she tugged the hair bands out of her twin ponytails and allowed her hair to fall free and removed the two pins keeping a part of her fringe to the side. She placed these on the side of the sink for her to retrieve later and moved to undressing herself – shyly turning away from the mirror as she did so. Bare skin rose with goosebumps and her whole body began to shiver as her body became exposed to the freeze of winter.

Twisting the knobs in the shower she held a hand under the running water, waiting until it was warm before she stepped in. The shower had room enough for one and a half people. It felt a little claustrophobic, but that didn't concern her enough to prevent her from feeling fresh before she even thought of cooking someone breakfast.

Or be in the presence of others when she felt less than clean.

She simply rinsed through her hair with the steaming hot water and stood for a long moment under the faucet to quell her shaking. She hoped to soak up as much warmth as she could before she would have to leave the confined space filled with heat and back into the larger area of the bathroom that was sure to be damp and cold from the cooling steam.

With amazing speed she shut the water off and reached through the sliding door of the shower to grab the towel from where she'd left it folded on top of the toilet. She awkwardly dried herself off in the small space and stepped out of the shower to get dressed again. With her jacket and socks on she felt warmer already.

The smallish towel wrapped around her hair she walked back to Yami and Yugi's room to place her dirty clothing into her bag and soon found herself wandering down the stairs.

She would make some tea and sit in the kitchen and wait for someone else to wake up.

Unwrapping the towel from her hair she continued to rub the fabric against her hair before hanging it over her arm as she entered the living room. In four different parts of the room the boys were sleeping. Tristan, Yugi and Yami had taken places on the lounge. Joey was crashed on the floor as though he'd fallen off a lounge. Tristan looked the most peaceful, while Yugi was almost invisible curled in a blanket up against the back of the lounge he slept on. Yami was on his side as well, only facing towards the centre of the room, both of his arms hanging off the edge of the lounge.

She carefully dodged this obstacle and walked into the kitchen. As silently as she could she slid the door shut, knowing that the kettle would make too much noise otherwise.

After she hung her damp towel on one of the chairs around the table she filled the kettle with water and turned it on to boil. While she waited she grabbed a mug from the cupboard and decided on the flavour of tea using the light of her iPhone before walking towards the fridge.

She gently rubbed at her eyes, yawning deeply and thankfully silently.

And then, as she opened the door of the fridge, reaching for the milk – knowing where it was by instinct – and light shone towards the door of the kitchen she realised that she was no longer alone.


	10. Chapter Nine Unintended Betrayal

Chapter Nine – Unintended Betrayal

The milk very nearly left her grasp as a panicked gasp pierced into the silence of the kitchen.

"Yami."

"What are you doing up so early?" He asked groggily, closing the door behind him. He hardly sounded impressed, but concerned nonetheless.

Having caught her breath back by then, Victoria could have given a vocal reply. But she had nothing on her mind that would leave him with no worries so instead she just shrugged and walked back to the counter with the milk carton.

"Do you usually awaken this early?" Yami asked, fetching a mug of his own and choosing a tea bag.

Victoria shrugged. "These days, yeah. It must be the cold or something." She lied, hoping that would be enough for him.

It wasn't.

"I doubt that the cold would cause you to wake earlier." Yami corrected. "It's more probable that you would sleep longer because it is cold."

Victoria simply shrugged again. "Then I don't know what it is then. I just wake up early. Leaves me tired as hell during the day and I get to bed at the proper time. It could just be a phase I'm going through."

"If that's the case then your body will balance itself out eventually." Yami assured her.

"Thank god for that." She whispered as the kettle clicked and she proceeded to pour the water into both of their mugs. "I hoped that I wouldn't be the first to wake up. At least. I hope I didn't wake you."

Yami shook his head, adding sugar to his tea. "I'm a light sleeper. The shower running woke me first."

"Sorry." She muttered, sipping her tea nervously before taking the milk back to the fridge – anything to distract herself.

But when she turned back to the counter to retrieve her mug Yami gave her a look, though it was hard to see it in the lack of light. "Don't worry about it."

Victoria sighed lightly, carrying her mug over to the table they'd eaten dinner at. Thankfully it had been somewhat cleared so all she had to do was push the stacked pizza boxes to the side as she sat down. Yami followed her lead and sat across from her at the small table, which looked larger now that there was only two sitting at it – rather than all seven of them at dinner.

"Tori…" Yami began, pausing for a moment as he seemed to hesitate – a rare novelty as he never seemed to hesitate about anything. "There was something that I wanted to ask, to quell a small seed of concern that you placed when you told us about…well…the way things were for you when you were younger."

She mentally tensed, preparing for whatever he wanted to ask. She would either be able to answer without a problem or she would have to find the right words to tell him to butt out.

She kept steady eye contact with him, allowing him to ask his question.

"Did you have a happy childhood? Despite all of the complications with the less pure of heart, were there still times when you were happy? When you felt joy and some form of love no matter how miniscule?"

She almost sighed with relief. "Yes. There were many times that I felt happy – though I was always forced to be cautious. The other girls and several of the pure of heart boys were like siblings and we all took care of one another. We were a family – but…there was always that part of my mind that told me not to completely trust anyone until given proper reason." She sighed a little. "I suppose that part of my mind has begun to lose its touch – I'm trusting people so much easier these days."

"Trust doesn't always have to be earned – I've trusted many people who most would not. I find that putting trust in a person stirs a little guilt within them and they feel the need to trust me in return." Yami explained. "Of course, this isn't the same for every person."

Victoria smiled, staring at her tea. "Yeah." She agreed. "Yami? Could I ask you something? I don't mind if you refuse to answer."

"You answered my question, so I will do my best to reply to yours." Yami replied.

"You regained the memories you once lost, the ones from when you were a Pharaoh?"

Yami nodded.

"I wonder…Do you miss any of it?" She asked. "I mean, many men wish they could be king and from what it seems you kind of turned the whole affair down."

Yami chuckled. "I suppose I did. I was born into royalty – it was a part of my life and a privilege for me to one day take over the throne from my Father. Many of those who wish to be king have a life where they are left by the wayside and have nowhere to go – they however do not do a thing to change their circumstances. To answer your question though: I miss parts of it. I miss the time period mostly. The respect that people had for any stranger and the simplicity of life. I can only compare it to the way many children are – trusting, friendly and compassionate. Laugh at anything and find joy in the smallest of things." Yami sighed, staring towards the kitchen window. "The respect I was given was much more exaggerated. No one called me by name and the way people literally worshipped me was a little startling at times. Never the less, the land was beautiful and though it was a desert there were lush greens and the Nile ran strong and true, even through most summers. Staring out of the balcony of my chambers, towards the city my Father helped to build and his Father before him and even further back – the city I would help addition to and protect myself. The brilliant blue sky with little to no clouds and the slight desert trees beside the sparkling Nile…I wish I could show it all to you." He looked over at Victoria, to see that her eyes were gently shut, a small smile across her lips. "Tori?"

"I'm imagining it. It's beautiful." Victoria agreed, opening her eyes. "You could be a writer; you're incredible at describing scenery. I need to draw whenever I want to describe something in such clarity."

Yami smiled warmly. "But you were right. I turned the crown down."

"What? But I thought you didn't have a choice?"

"Not quite…and…well I have kept this from the others. And you must promise not to tell them, but…they all believe that I couldn't return to my time like I'd planned, the truth is that I didn't want to anymore." Yami explained. "I had done what was necessary for that time and I no longer felt like I was required. However, there was something in this time that I knew I needed to be here for. So I asked my old friends, the guardians of the Millennium items, if they could give me a body of my own so that I could join my new friends in the future and begin a new life. Many would call me selfish and cowardly for turning down the responsibility that a crown entails, but I just…"

"That is an unbelievably brave act, Yami." Victoria interrupted. "There are few who have the courage to change their path to destiny – and to turn down the glory of a crown must have been just as hard."

Yami was surprised by her words. For three years he'd been contemplating if he'd made the right decision and had gone so far as to keep it from everyone – even Yugi. Yet he'd suddenly been told that he was _brave_ for turning the crown down. It was contradictory to the doubt that had been swimming within his mind. "Thank you. You really do know what to say, don't you?"

Victoria shrugged lightly. "I guess."

As Yami appraised her, he remembered the other large question that had been prodding at his mind since much earlier that morning. But did he dare? Was it wise to just blurt out such a question that even he found to be ridiculous? But maybe another kind of question would be appropriate instead – just to keep the slight humour going in their small conversation filled with memories and guilt ridden confessions.

"Tori, did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

Victoria blanched. "What?"

"You talk in your sleep." Yami informed her and then waited for her answer.

Victoria blinked violently for at least a minute as she stared at her tea again. "No, I wasn't aware that I talked in my sleep." She admitted and then snapped her sight up to him. "What did I say?" She demanded quietly.

"Not a lot. But it's left me a little curious and well…a little confused."

"What did I say, Yami?" Victoria asked again, her lack of sleep causing her patience to become thin.

Yami linked his fingers together and with his elbows propped on the table he rested his chin on the small ledge he had made for himself before allowing the word to roll off his tongue. "Seto."

Victoria bit back the violent gasp. Of all the things she could have said, she had to say _that_? She decided to play ignorant. "Really?" She asked. She giggled a little. "That's really weird. I must have been having a warped dream about Seto Kaiba. He's the guy who made the Duel Disks and stuff, right?"

"Victoria." Yami warned. "That's a bold lie, even for you. That duel disk of yours is one of a kind. He made it for you, didn't he?"

She gulped a little. How was it that he could sound like a parent when he used her full name in that tone? "What?"

"I already knew."

Victoria was rather shocked. "What?"

"I'm not Joey, Tori. I worked out many of the riddles within the twists that you put into the truth." He informed her softly. "To your defence you never really lied. And I understand perfectly why you didn't tell any of us. But it does leave me feeling a little curious as to why he appeared in our dreams."

Victoria shifted her gaze. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to answer that."

Yami nodded. "I understand. Can you explain to me why Seto Kaiba would decide to adopt a girl, when he claimed he only had one brother and that was the only family he would ever have?"

Victoria grinned a little. Yami was completely right. Seto wasn't the type to spontaneously adopt a girl. "Two years ago, Seto and Mokuba were going state to state, donating money to orphanages – with the hidden agenda to promote the development of other Kaiba Land amusement parks. But their intentions were still pure nonetheless.

"They came by our orphanage – I should also mention that it doubled as a boarding school – with the giant cheque and all to give it to the Headmaster. To be honest I wasn't in the least bit interested. We weren't allowed to watch TV so I didn't know who he was. All I knew was that Duel Disks were made by Kaiba Corp." She laughed a little to herself. "I was sitting in the art room as the Headmaster was giving a brief tour of the orphanage – explaining where the money was going to go and such." She paused sharply, the memory of that moment stronger than she thought. "The Headmaster was shocked to see me there – initially she told me to 'get lost' but Seto said that I could stay. I admit that I was instantly intimidated. He was so tall and the blue of his eyes was sharp, yet there was a softness there that I didn't realise could exist in a man."

Yami listened intently, but his mind was taking in each of the hints that he'd noticed were nearly identical to Rebecca when she spoke about Yugi – though Victoria's were much more subtle. Despite the many victories he held over Seto Kaiba, Yami instantly felt that he had been dealt a very painful defeat.

"Mokuba, still young in my eyes, but now that I think about it so much younger that day, bounded over to me where I was sketching and asked if he could take a look. I obliged and he called Seto over to look at the page. It hadn't been my intention but I had been drawing a Blue Eyes White Dragon. At that time I had a little trouble with dragons so I was practicing with pictures I had printed out of the libraries computer. He stared at the page and then at me. Upon instinct I recoiled – the gaze startled me and I thoroughly embarrassed myself." Victoria chuckled. "Seto just frowned towards me in a way that I couldn't quite pick and he asked if I was okay. I had nothing I could say so I just nodded. To go into detail would be a mistake. He then began to compliment the artwork and asked where I had learned to sketch like that and how long I had been drawing. What seemed like seconds later he was asking the Headmaster if I was allowed to leave the orphanage and she replied that I was only allowed to leave legally if I was adopted. Seto said 'so be it' and just like that." She clicked her fingers for emphasis. "I became a Kaiba."

"He adopted you because of your artistic talents?" Yami asked, still doubting the event.

"No…there are far more pressing reasons that became apparent the week after."

Yami waited silently.

Victoria sighed. "Seto told me that he also felt like there was a reason he had to take me out of the orphanage – other than the undesirable conditions. Exactly a week after I left a fire broke out in the orphanage. Most of the children and teachers escaped unharmed – except for four young girls. They perished in the fire." She held back the weak sob as her eyes welled up with tears. "They were the girls I shared a room with."

Yami's eyes noticeably widened. "So, if you had stayed…"

"I would have died as well. Our door was always temperamental and it was hard to open sometimes. They couldn't escape the flames and smoke in time…" Victoria explained, wiping her cheeks. And though I am glad to be alive, I feel horrible for not being there for them. But, both of my brothers are very caring and generous and I can't imagine my life without them. It's like we've always been together. But we were raised so differently. They were raised by a harsh man in near seclusion. And though I was in less than desirable circumstances I was raised among a community of people. They either don't need or want company like I seem to."

"Do either of them know who you have been visiting?"

"Mokuba does." Victoria replied. "I've left Seto in the dark for obvious reasons. He'd never let me out of the mansion again."

Yami nodded. "I can't help but agree with that."

"You won't tell the others, will you? I can't imagine how Joey would react."

"I can."

"I'd rather not know, okay? Please?"

"You won't tell of my secret?" Yami asked.

"I won't tell."

"Then your secret is safe with me." He confirmed.

Victoria allowed a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"I do think though, that you should tell the others eventually." Yami suggested. "A secret like that could become hard to keep."

Victoria nodded slightly in agreement. "It's hard lying to Seto as well."

"How have the Kaiba brothers been recently?" Yami asked conversationally.

Victoria smiled. "They're doing pretty well. Mokuba's in a regular high school now, Domino High. And – "

"What a minute, Mokuba is attending Domino High? He's the same age as Serenity Wheeler, isn't he?"

Victoria grinned, unable to help it after hearing both of the teen's names in the same general sentence. "Yes. The same class as well."

"Huh…" Yami commented. "Serenity hasn't mentioned anything about Mokuba. At least whenever I've seen her."

"That's because she doesn't want Joey to get angry."

"Why would Joey get angry? Joey hasn't got a problem with Mokuba at all."

"Uum, well. It's a bit more complicated."

Yami was astonished. "Are you saying what I think?"

Victoria's grin continued to widen.

"You're kidding?"

"Not at all." Victoria replied. "But it's not my business to say it right out – though I will say that Moki is very happy right now. And I hope to meet Serenity very soon."

"Does Seto know about it?"

"Yes. But he doesn't want anything to do with it. Which worries me a little." Victoria admitted.

"Why is that?" Yami inquired.

"Well…Mokuba might need some brotherly advice in the area of a relationship. Though I have a feeling that Seto doesn't have any kind of experience in that field either."

"I wouldn't be surprised to be perfectly honest. Since I've known him he's only cared about three things. Duel Monsters, his company and Mokuba – and now you I assume." Yami said. "I don't think he'd ever had time for a girlfriend of any kind. Not that it's my business."

"No you're probably right." Victoria sighed, unthinkingly leaving her disappointed out in the open. "He wouldn't know how to even act around an eligible woman who happened to be attracted to that kind of stern personality. But I don't think he's been around any women who actually like him for who he actually is."

"I suppose he only gains attention from the shallow minded women – at least those are the ones who openly project their affections towards him." Yami assumed.

Victoria nodded. "Sadly."

"And he forgets to notice the affections of those who truly care for him. Am I right?"

Victoria froze. His eyes gazing deeply into hers, even in the dim light they seemed to shine like dark coloured wine. He'd worked it all out and she was such a fool to allow the conversation to lead in such a precarious direction.

"He's yet to notice, hasn't he?"

"I'm sorry, but that's not any of your business, Yami." Victoria informed him, standing from her chair and turning away from him.

"I apologise then. But you know, some men don't recognise the subtle hints. Some need to be told out right." Yami explained. "Victoria, if my past experiences have told me anything then it's to take the moment while it's there or you'll never get it again."

It hurt deeply to give her such advice, to practically pass her off to another while his heart and mind screamed at him to hold his damned tongue. But if she could be happy then that would be good enough for him.

"Oh my gosh. Look, it's snowing." Victoria gasped, stepping up to the window and staring out into the slowly increasing light of the dawn. She had thoroughly changed the subject by pure chance and she didn't even realise it.

Yami stood up and joined her by the window. It was in fact snowing. The light fluffy substance that fell when it was too cold to rain was floating down from the light clouds directly overhead.

Without a warning, Victoria ran to the kitchen door and after fiddling with the lock, opened it and stepped out into the frosty morning air. Puffs of breath dancing over the slight breeze as it left through the hot air of her lungs. Instantly her cheeks turned red from the bite of the frost, but Victoria didn't seem to care. Nor did she care that she was only wearing a pair of socks, her pyjamas and a jacket. She shivered, but standing out in the snow was far more worth it.

Yami clutched his arms around his bare arms and resigned to standing in the doorway.

She became like a child and forgot his presence as she gracefully began to lightly dance on the sidewalk and onto the empty street as the gold of the sun began to reflect upon the sky and rim the outline of the clouds, blanketing out the blacks and blues of the night sky in its wake. The pink and blonde tones of her hair shone brilliantly in the yellow light and accented the sparkle in her excited eyes as she kept her gaze skyward to watch the snowflakes fall around her. It was as though she had never seen such an occurrence, although she had many times before. It was warming to the heart to think that Victoria was of such an innocent spirit, though her past was filled with impure hearts and intentions, she had emerged still just as lively and just as beautiful nonetheless.

He couldn't help but smile.

. : . : . : .

Victoria carefully added the extra milk to the flour and eggs before continuing to stir.

Doubling the batch hadn't been the problem – it was the pestering of the 'starving hungry' young men who were whining like children at the kitchen table behind her.

It wasn't until ten in the morning that the logs began to wake up from their resting places on the floor and lounge – needing Yugi's nudging and the violent alarm tone on Victoria's iPhone to finally get them to even open their eyes.

"Look, I won't make them any faster if you whine. In fact I might work slower just to piss you off." Victoria warned them – thankfully this shut them up quite effectively.

After she and Yami had come in from the cold, Yami had fled for the shower – she hoped silently that her enthusiasm hasn't caused him to fall ill. But it turned out he'd just been too cold to avoid the chance of using the steaming water. Thankfully he'd dressed in a long sleeved shirt and jeans when he'd returned – much more appropriate for the winter.

She'd also gotten changed from her pyjamas between coming in from the snow and making the batter. She'd bought only her skinny jeans so she'd put those back on and added a cream coloured shirt with a low enough square neckline and short sleeves that only covered her shoulders.

"How long will it take?" Tristan asked softly. Not wanting to make her mad, but still wanted to know.

"The first should be ready in the next fifteen minutes, give or take." Victoria replied.

"Yum." Joey commented.

"I just hope that they are as good as you say they are, Tori." Yugi said with a playful smile.

"It's my brother's word you should be trusting." Victoria corrected him absently. She was concentrating on making sure to get all of the lumps out of the batter with the wooden spoon she was stirring within the large plastic bowl she was now holding to her front so she could rest her back against the countertop.

"Yuug, there will be choc chips in them. Choc chips." Joey emphasised. "They will be good."

"Better than good." Tristan added.

Victoria lightly rolled her eyes as the conversation became far too strange for her to pay attention to and turned back the kitchen counter, placing the large pan onto the gas cook top and turning the selected stove on. She turned her head to the right, checking that the satisfying blue and yellow flame was licking the bottom of the pan. Happy that the pan was being heated, she used her teeth to tear the packet of chocolate chips open before pouring a quarter of the packet in and stirring them in – once they were thoroughly distributed throughout the batch she added another quarter of the packet and stirred again until she was happy with the thickness of the batter.

Victoria had begun gently pouring batter onto the pan to cook when Rebecca emerged, fully dressed in a black pleated skirt and a pink long sleeved sweater along with white tights. As always, Rebecca aimed to show off to Yugi – but that was no longer a surprise to anyone else so no one bothered to point it out or draw much attention to her clothing at all.

She easily flipped the five pancakes over to the other side, carefully flipping them over again to check the cooking side before flipping them back so they could cook some more. She'd learned not to simply wait, rather to check regularly and hope that it was all okay. The five pancakes were finished and she placed them all onto a plate and carried them to the table and placed it in the middle – quickly extracting her hand as Tristan and Joey eagerly launched at the pancakes to begin eating. Victoria shook her head in exasperated amusement and turned back to the stove to cook another bunch of pancakes.

It wasn't long until Téa emerged; dressed in a dark blue, knee length pencil skirt and a pale yellow dress shirt and her hair tied back into a tight bun on her feet were a pair of sensible flats. "Sorry that I have to leave so early, guys."

"I can't believe that you have to work on a Sunday." Joey commented, chewing on a pancake, chocolate lining his mouth.

"I don't usually. But my boss needed me in today – he couldn't tell me what, but it must be important." Téa assumed with a shrug.

"Stupid Burger World." Joey mumbled.

"What? Burger World? I don't work there anymore." Téa began to laugh. "I haven't worked there in months, Joey. Look at my clothes, I'm a secretary now."

"Wow, that's a pretty good job." Victoria commented.

"Yeah. I still have to pay for my dance lessons so it's better than nothing. And because I've managed to stay there for so long there's a very small chance of me being let go. The other secretary is working her way down until she can resign – once that happens I'll be working full time."

"Why is she resigning?" Tristan asked.

"She had a baby a few months ago. That's why I was employed – and lucky because I happened to be applying for a job that day." Téa laughed a little. "For a division completely unrelated if you'll believe it."

"That is lucky." Victoria agreed, placing another plate of pancakes on the table. "Are you able to eat something before you go?"

"No, I'm afraid I slept in longer than I meant to and I need to leave right about now." Téa replied sadly. "A car is being sent for me."

"Maybe next time."

Téa smiled. "Yeah, absolutely. I wish I could have had one those pancakes, but I really can't chance it. Besides I've already brushed my teeth."

From outside came the beep of a car and Téa bid them all farewell, insisting that she would let herself out and in no time she was gone.

Joey grumbled to himself. "Still sucks that she's working on a Sunday."

"At least she has a job." Rebecca stated.

"I do have a job." Joey snapped. "They're just not giving me a lot of shifts right now. Bikes don't do so good in the snow, in case you didn't know, Rebecca."

"It's hardly been snowing, Joey." Yugi said.

"There will be. We'll probably have to cancel the paper run a few times this season. Just like last year." Joey explained. "Oh well, being a duellist pays well enough – I can afford a lack in shifts."

"You have to get into the finals of a tournament before you get paid for being a duellist, Joey." Yami reminded him.

"Yeah. I have a heap of money from my third ranked victories saved up and ready for an emergency." Joey explained. "I'm more prepared than you think."

"I find that hard to believe." Rebecca stated.

"Watch it!" Joey snapped.

Victoria watched the havoc unfold from the corner of her eye, keeping the rest of her gaze on the cooking pancakes. She couldn't help but notice though, that Yami had yet to sit down, even as all of the others had seated themselves around the kitchen table. He stood by the counter a little more than a metre away from her, his arms comfortably folded over his chest, his long fingers picking at a pancake he had managed to snag and was slowly eating it in pieces – he was also observing the bickering between Joey and Rebecca with the air of a watchful protector. He was ready to step in at any moment if needed. She assumed he felt it was his obligation as the eldest of the group and probably a hidden protective instinct that a Pharaoh would have towards his people.

She smiled – he may not be a monarch anymore, but the traits were still very much apparent.

. : . : . : .

The snow had slowly turned into a light falling rain and the small white clouds turned grey and larger as she was pushing her bike into the garage of the mansion. She shook her head to rid it of the stubborn droplets and kicked the stand down on the bike.

On her trip home she'd thought about what she and Yami had been talking about in their too early conversation – it hadn't taken much thought for her to decide. Yami had said that men need to be told outright or they would never know so that left only one very clear option.

She had to tell Seto.

Though it could potentially ruin everything she already had with him, it was either that or end up losing her opportunity. She had to take a step out of her comfort zone if she was ever going to get anywhere in life.

With no time to spare and her heart beating alarmingly hard and fast she carried her bag up to her room and quickly unpacked. Placing everything where it needed to go before she kicked off her boots and decided to fix her hair, walking into the bathroom to use the mirror. Unconsciously she wanted to look her best – though it was a ridiculous thought as she'd never really bothered before. Not for Seto at least.

She was a simple girl. She didn't believe in makeup and she favoured comfortable clothes over fashionable. She sighed, pulling her twin tails out to brush her hair and then tied them back the exact same way.

One last glance in the mirror and Victoria deemed herself ready.

No more hesitation and no more fear. She just had to take the plunge.

After all, the worst he could do is to turn her down.

She swiftly left her room and humming a tune to calm herself as she made her way towards his study. Sunday or not he would be working on something.

As she approached the study she saw that the door was slightly ajar, instantly signalling to her that she was free to enter without knocking – this had been learned over past experiences and hints from Mokuba as well. It was a rare occurrence as they were always expected to knock in case he was having a meeting or something along those lines.

Victoria walked right up to the door, her chest becoming tight as the nerves began to settle in. As a part of habit she placed her fingers within the gap in the door and slowly opened it a tiny bit more to look into his study.

All joy and nervousness in her chest instantly dissipated and complete horror replaced it as her mouth fell agape and eyes widened. Her fingers fell from the door as her body began to feel completely numb.

Against the right wall of his study, Seto was trailing harsh kisses down the neck of a young brunette, one of his hands up in her let down hair and the other pressing her body to his at the centre of her back. Victoria could not see her face, but her hands were desperately clinging to the back of Seto's white dress shirt and tangled in his short brown hair – a colour that matched her shoulder length locks. The young woman was standing up on her bare toes, flat shoes kicked to the side, trying to lessen the height difference. Seto was leaning down to reach her, but it didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

Seto left her throat, tugged her chin up and sealed her already swollen lips with his own. They both harmonised with a deep moan as Seto pressed her harder against the wall – and Victoria suddenly recognised the young woman.

Silent tears of utter betrayal slid down Victoria's red cheeks. Two people whom she trusted so deeply had thoroughly broken her heart at the same time. Without thinking Victoria pushed the door open with such force that it slammed against the wall with a crash, startling the pair.

Téa's eyes widened and Seto's expression turned from angry to concern in a split second.

"Tori." Seto muttered, slowly letting his arms fall from Téa. "You're home early."

"No, I'm home on time." Victoria replied, her tone harsh and her words broken with sobs. "It seems that you've forgotten to keep your eye on the clock, brother." She stated glaring darkly at him. How dare he drop her so many hints and then turn to another woman. Instead of allowing him her attention she turned to Téa. "Work, huh?"

Téa, although already flushed, blushed deeply. "I was working. Until…"

"You know her?" Seto asked.

Though who he'd spoken to was unclear, Victoria and Téa looked over at him, but none of them replied. Téa looked apologetic, Victoria just looked furious. She didn't care if Seto knew anymore, she was too angry to care about much more. "You know what? Stuff this. I couldn't care less. Continue on, I never came in." She turned on her heel and made to run to the door.

Seto got a good grip on her arm, holding her back. "Tori, what's going on?"

"Let me go!" Victoria cried, feeling the ticking of his skin touching hers. "I'm leaving!"

"Where will you go?"

"The only other place I have. I'm going to Yami's. Now, let me go!"

Seto's slight shock at hearing that name allowed his grip to weaken and she slipped her arm free, bolting for the door. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to quell the continuous, steady stream of tears that flowed down her cheeks.

The echoes of anguished sobs were the last that Seto and Téa heard of Victoria.


	11. Chapter Ten Room to Heal

Chapter Ten – Room to Heal

Yami threw the pizza boxes into the recycling bin out the back of the Game Shop and ran back into the kitchen door, the rain soaking through his shirt and hair in no time. It had been an hour since Rebecca had been picked up by Professor Hawkins and in doing so dropped Grandpa off as well – and it had already begun to pour in buckets. The weather completely contrasted the light snow that had been falling that morning. He shut the kitchen door behind him and turned to washing the dishes left over from the night before and that morning.

Thankfully there wasn't too much to clean, though it was a tempting idea to call Yugi in from where he was cleaning the living room, but they'd agreed to stay at their own stations so that was out of the question.

"Yami."

Yami looked up, seeing Yugi entering the kitchen, dumping a bulging and tied up rubbish bag by the kitchen door.

"I'm going to go upstairs and change the sheets on the beds and put them in the washing machine, okay?"

Yami nodded. "Sure."

"I'll take that bag out when the rain has died down a bit." Yugi added, leaving the kitchen and his footsteps were soon heard climbing the stairs.

Yami pushed his hands into the hot soapy water, reaching for a utensil or plate within to clean and place on the drying rack. He'd managed to find a bowl when there was an urgent knock on the front door.

He looked up in confusion. Who would be out in the rain like this? Nor were they expecting anyone.

Never the less, Yami dried his hands and briskly walked to the front door, opening it to find a rather familiar face. "Roland? What are you doing here?" He asked.

Roland didn't step into the house, but he was holding a small umbrella above his head, behind him was a sleek black car. "Miss Kaiba has returned hoping she would be able to make use of your hospitality once more." He explained.

"Tori?" Yami asked. "Certainly, of course." He replied, instantly concerned for the reason that would cause Victoria to come back so soon.

"Then I bring a message from Mokuba Kaiba requesting that you take care of her." Roland added.

Yami nodded. "I would without Mokuba's request."

Roland nodded, satisfied and turned towards the car to open the door and assist Victoria out of the car. She hadn't changed her clothes at all, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were pink with tears that were still trailing lines down her skin. Without any hesitation Yami stepped out into the rain and met her halfway, catching her as she practically collapsed into his embrace.

"I'll fetch her bags." Roland said, leaving Victoria to Yami as she walked to the back of the car.

Yami half carried Victoria into the entrance hall of the small house and allowed her to cling to him for dear life, heartbreaking sobs shaking her frame as her small fingers clutched onto his shirt.

Roland appeared at the doorway and placed the same bag she'd bought with her for the sleepover inside the door along with her backpack and a bag he hadn't seen before – it looked heavily waterproof.

"Thank you, Roland." Victoria managed through her tears. All she received was a nod before Roland was gone.

"Tori, what in the world happened?" Yami asked, tilting her chin up so he could gaze into her eyes. He brushed a thumb over her cheek to rid it of a tear.

"Could we not talk about it, please?" Victoria pleaded. "Not yet."

Yami nodded softly and tucked her head against his chest, still holding her upright as she continued to shake with small sobs. He heard Yugi coming down the stairs, no doubt hearing the small commotion and decided that it was best to get Victoria into a comfortable seat. He helped her out of her coat and she kicked off her boots before he led her to the living room.

"What's going on?" Yugi asked, setting his eyes on Victoria as Yami walked by him.

"Everything's going to be fine." Yami replied, sitting on the lounge closest to the gas heater and bringing Victoria onto the lounge beside him. "Yugi, don't change the sheets on my bed, Tori's going to sleep there again tonight."

"No, it's okay. I'll sleep on the lounge or something." Victoria stepped in, sitting upright.

"Tori, there's no point because those sheets will have to be changed anyway – you may as well sleep in them again." Yami insisted, wrapping his arm back around her in comfort. "And I'm sorry but I won't let a young woman sleep on a lounge while visiting this house."

Victoria just nodded, giving in with no true will to debate on such a menial topic.

"Okay, I'll just change my sheets then." Yugi said. "Did you want me to wash the dishes when I'm done?" He asked, noticing that Yami would be otherwise occupied with good reason.

"No, I'll just wash them later." Yami replied.

"I'll help." Victoria insisted, standing from the lounge and heading towards the kitchen.

"Tori." Yami said, following her. "You don't have to wash dishes."

"I'd rather keep myself busy." She explained, turning to him.

Yami smiled, realising the maturity in her. He reached up with both hands and brushed away the rest of her tears, cupping her cheeks gently as if he were holding the most breakable china. "Okay then. Which would you rather do, wash or dry?"

"Wash." Victoria replied, a small smile appearing on her lips.

She couldn't believe it. All it took him was less than five minutes. He'd made her smile – no one had been able to accomplish that when she was so deep in sorrow.

He truly was a special person.

Yami lowered his hands to his sides. "Then I will dry." He confirmed, walking around her and collected a dry tea-towel as she stood in front of the filled sink. "I've already placed all of the dishes in there – watch out for knives." He warned.

Victoria chuckled and then sniffled. "You shouldn't put the knives into the water."

Yami shrugged. "I like a challenge." He said.

"I take it that Bec finally went home?" She asked, scrubbing down a plate.

"Yes, her Grandfather took her when he dropped off Grandpa."

"Oh? He's home? Where is he?" She asked, handing over the cleaned plate.

"He's napping upstairs." Yami replied. "Apparently the two doctors didn't sleep much last night. Too much arguing and discussing."

"I can imagine that." Victoria agreed. "I'm sorry that we left you and Yugi with such a cleanup. If I'd known I would have hung around longer to help out." And miss out on the unexpected tongue fest she'd witnessed in Seto's study. She choked back the upcoming sob from the memory and continued to wash the dishes.

"Ordinarily I wouldn't have allowed you to help anyway."

"Ordinarily?"

"I know when a person is mature enough to avoid wallowing in their tears. I wouldn't assist you in going down that path." Yami explained.

Ten minutes passed with little conversation after that and the dishes were cleaned and dried and put away in their proper places. Once the job was done, Yami promptly put the kettle on and collected the items needed for two mugs of tea.

"Mint or strawberry?" Yami asked.

"Surprise me." Victoria replied sombrely. Now that her hands were doing nothing she was beginning to think about the reason she had fled home.

Victoria stared at the bubbles still lining the sink after she'd drained the water and couldn't help herself. She scooped some up in her fingers and flung it at Yami. He didn't react at first as the suds travelled down the side of his face, but he soon turned on her.

"Is that a challenge?" He asked.

Victoria only offered him an innocent smile in response.

Yami sighed, stepping up to her casually. Victoria didn't move, seeing no threat in his advance – until he reached into the sink like lightning and crushed a handful of bubbles into the top of her head. "There, we're fair now." He stated and went back to the counter to wait for the kettle.

"Yuck." She whispered, brushing suds out of her hair.

Footsteps began to make their way down the stairs, and both of them knew that it was Grandpa making his appearance, but Yugi's footsteps followed close behind. "Hello you two. Yugi and I are just going out, okay?"

Yami blinked in surprise. "Where to?" He inquired.

"Oh, nowhere." Grandpa replied as Yugi started to drag him away from the kitchen and out of the house.

Victoria smiled a little as Yami lightly slapped a hand to his face in embarrassment. "About as subtle as a flying mallet." She muttered.

"It's their way of providing privacy, but they could be a little smoother about it." Yami explained.

"What, do they think we're going to get up to no good or something?" Victoria teased and then instantly flushed bright red, realising what she had just aloud. Then realised that Yami's cheeks were a little pink as well. "Oh god, I just can't keep my mouth shut, can I?"

"They'd be imagining the 'or something', I'm afraid." Yami replied. "You're lucky that you're not around when they start teasing me."

"They tease you, about me?" Victoria asked. She was mystified by this new information. Why would they do that? She and Yami were practically best friends.

Yami nodded, pouring the water into the mugs and jiggling the tea bags. His cheeks continued to darken in shade. "The whole affair is really rather embarrassing."

"I hope it ends soon then." Victoria said. "I certainly wouldn't appreciate it if my brothers – " She stopped short as the thought of her older brother stabbed in her already cracked heart.

"Tori?"

Victoria snapped her eyes up and the moment they met with Yami's concerned orbs of pure liquid she broke down again, crouching to the tiled floor with her back to the cabinet under the countertop. She wrapped her arms around her legs and pressed her face into her knees as a new wave of sorrow set in.

Yami knelt beside her, placing a calm and sturdy hand upon her shaking shoulder. "Did he do something to you?" He asked.

She looked up in shock. "Huh?"

"Did Kaiba hurt you?" Yami demanded.

How was it that he worked out those things so quickly? She had barely said a word about the problem and he already knew it as Seto who had done her wrong.

Yet he didn't know it wasn't just Seto.

"No…yes? I don't know." Victoria cried, clutching her hands around her head. "I was just going to see him so I could tell him – " She sighed, she couldn't even say the words to Yami. He knew what she was talking about though. "And he was in his study…making out with another girl."

Yami was startled, his eyes widening. "What?"

"Surprised me too." Victoria muttered, wiping her wrist under her nose. "Maybe I overreacted." She considered, shifting her eye contact.

"That all depends on what you said and did."

"I practically screamed at them and then ran away. It all sounds so childish now in hindsight."

"Did you know her?" Yami asked, and something about his tone peaked her interest.

"You know, don't you?" Victoria asked.

Yami shut his eyes softly and looked away. "Téa came to me the day she was offered the job and asked if I was okay with it. Naturally I was a little concerned of her being in Kaiba's proximity and the fact that they had never gotten along before – but if she was keen on the job then I told her to take it while she had the chance."

"Take the moment while it's there." She quoted.

Yami nodded. "She decided not to tell Joey for just about the same reasons as you didn't tell him. I swear to you, I only knew that she worked as Kaiba's secretary – but I never imagined that anything would happen between them. That part is news to me." He explained. "If I had known…I wouldn't have given you such advice."

"Don't you start blaming yourself for this." Victoria ordered.

"I can't help but feel like I had a part in these tears." Yami said gently, brushing another stray tear away. "Is it because it was Téa that you are so upset?"

"I would have been upset either way…" Victoria replied. "But…I don't know. I trust Téa with my life and for two years Seto's been dropping hint after hint that's left me in confusion and then he goes and…" She scrunched her eyes shut and sobbed. "And he made it so that at times I can't remain coherent in his presence even when I know in my heart that it's wrong to feel that way!" Her bottom lip began to tremble as fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. "And now I don't know how to feel anymore."

Yami sighed in sympathy. "I can't imagine how confusing that would be. Why don't we put on some stupid horror movie and laugh at the stupid girls?"

Victoria rubbed at her eyes. "Okay."

Yami nodded, stood upright and then offered her both of his hands. She took them and allowed him to haul her to her feet. In recoil she fell into him, her nose touching against the tip of his. They stood for a long and awkward moment like that, startled and above all turning bright red.

"Sorry." Yami whispered, taking a step away, clearing his throat.

"It's okay." Victoria replied, also stepping back.

. : . : . : .

Seto sat back in the rear seat of the car, arms crossed and staring out the window as the torrential rain streaked down and against it without mercy.

Nothing about Victoria's reaction had made any sense to him.

By the time he'd gotten to her room and searched her studio, Victoria was gone. Téa hadn't given him anything when she had left the mansion and Mokuba had only sent him a disgruntled glare when Seto asked him if he knew what was bothering Victoria. He was doing the only thing he could think of – going where she said she would be, the Motou's.

He didn't like the thought of her being there – Wheeler was full of hatred for him and chances were the Pup had been filling her mind with stories and half truths of their past meetings. It was true that he used to be hard towards others and didn't tolerate the 'Geek Patrol' at the best of times, but Seto had grown more mature since he'd been forced to spend any time with the Motou 'twins' and Wheeler.

"Sir, we've arrived at the Kame Game Shop." His driver stated as they came to a halt.

"Stay in the car." Seto ordered as he opened his own door and stepped out into the rain. He stormed up to the door and violently knocked on it. He stood there in the rain until the door opened to reveal a rather surprised Yami.

"Kaiba?"

Seto walked right in and took a handful of Yami's shirt in his fist. "Where is she?"

"A simple 'may I come in?' would suffice."

Seto looked up to see that Victoria was leaning against the doorframe to the living room, her arms crossed and her eyes still a little pink from tears. Behind her came the screams of a female on the horror movie playing on the television. "Tori, what is going on?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed into a glare. "I don't have to answer your questions. I came here to get away from you."

"You will tell me why you're acting this way. You're my sister, aren't you glad that I'm in a relationship?"

Tears bubbled in the corners of her eyes as her pupils continued to narrow at him – she remained silent. "Yami and I were watching a movie and I was quite happy until you showed up uninvited."

"Tori, I just don't understand." Seto said. "Please, just tell me what I have done so that I can try to fix it."

"No, you can't just fix it, Seto." Victoria stated. "This isn't a game or a faulty device, it can't be fixed."

"Tori." Seto stated, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What is going on in your head? Why are you so upset?" He asked, gently wiping a tear from her cheek.

Victoria recoiled – the movement she made recalling when she'd first met him – slapping his hand away from her face. "Because you made me believe – " She stopped short. "Ugh it was things like that that have muddled and rearranged my mind, Seto! Don't you get it? How can you be so smart and yet so dumb at the same damn time?" She cried.

Seto frowned at her in confusion. She still wasn't making any sense. "Tori, you're gonna have to spell it out for me. Riddles don't tell me anything."

Victoria glanced at Yami – who was standing back and well out of the fight – looking for any kind of advice to tell her what was best. Yami nodded. "Just tell him, Tori."

"Stay out of this, Motou!" Seto roared and then turned on Victoria again, his patience wearing thin. "Tell me, Tori." He demanded.

"I thought you cared about me and I thought…" Victoria trailed off again, her courage diminishing under the harsh glare of his eyes. "I thought…that there was something else there…" She admitted, avoiding contact with his eyes.

"But…Tori, you're my sister, I'm supposed to care for you."

"Yeah, you think I don't know that – but it's not like we've been siblings for years and years. It's only been two years, Seto. To my heart you're just a guy and I'm just a girl." Victoria muttered, sighing deeply. "But apparently I just wasn't the one, huh?" She assumed, turning her back on him.

"Tori."

"Please…just go. I'll return home when I am ready." Victoria informed him, her temper slowly cooling down.

"Mokuba sends his love." Seto said.

"Thank you." She whispered, keeping her back to him.

Seto then turned on Yami, pointing a finger up into his face. "If you so much as lay a finger on her, so help me – "

"You can't place rules here, Seto." Victoria scolded, coming to Yami's defence.

Seto looked at her, astonished. "Okay. And Tori, I'm sorry." And with those parting words he turned on his heel and strode back out of the house and into the waiting car.

"Well, that was interesting." Victoria commented softly.

"On several levels." Yami agreed. "Did you expect him to show up?"

"Kind of. I mean. I didn't expect him to drop by today – I thought maybe tomorrow or something." Victoria explained, unconsciously brushing her hands up and down her arms. "Sorry. I didn't think he'd yell at you."

"He'd said worse things to me in the past. And I don't think I blame him." Yami said.

"What?"

Yami chuckled. "If you were my little sister I'd threaten any guy you hung around with as well."

"Though I imagine that you would show a little more restraint."

"Of course." Yami replied. "Hey Tori." He said, as she reached for the larger of the three bags that were still sitting in the entrance hall.

"Yeah?"

"He apologised. Does that give him some points?"

Victoria huffed as she lifted the bag up and looped the strap onto her shoulder. How was it possible for him to remain unbiased even when the other side was his rival? "I don't know yet. You don't mind if I work on some Christmas presents, do you?"

"Not in the slightest." Yami replied, following her into the living room. "You draw them all, don't you?"

"Yup. Buying a present is nice, but I find that sketching a person their present is so much more personal." Victoria explained, unzipping the bag to reveal a folded wooden easel and a large sketch pad. "You won't be getting a peak at yours though. I would never allow that."

"No, of course not. I hope you don't mind me watching though. It'll be hard not to. Watching an artwork come together is such a fascinating experience."

"It is?" Victoria asked, pausing from placing the pad on the easel she'd set up on the coffee table.

"I suppose that when you're the one putting the art together it is less exciting."

She smiled. "Yeah, I guess." She agreed, flipping the pad open, causing an envelope to slip out and fall to the floor. "Huh? What's this?" She asked, leaning down to pick it up and looked at the writing on the front. It was addressed to her and from the feel of it, she knew exactly what was in there. "Wow, that was pretty quick." She commented, tearing the top of the envelope open.

"What is it?" Yami asked.

Victoria answered by holding the envelope upside down above her hand until three cards fell out into her palm. "Duel Monsters cards." She replied, offering them to Yami to look at.

He carefully took them from her palm and looked over the designs. A monster, trap and spell card. "I've never seen these cards before."

Victoria nodded. "They're brand new. Those three, in fact, are the first printed."

"They are?" Yami asked, looked up at her in surprise. "But how did you get them?"

"I designed them…" Victoria replied hesitantly.

Yami was silent for a very long moment. "Who is your employer?" He asked.

"Come now, Yami. I think that's rather obvious."

"Pegasus?"

She nodded. "He used sketches that I drew to create those cards and he sent me the first ones printed – kind of like a Christmas present." She looked back at the sketch pad. "I guess Mokuba snuck it in there when I asked him to pack my pad and easel in a bag."

Yami's smile was a surprise to her. "This is fantastic, Tori. Congratulations."

"Thank you." She said softly, a light blush covering her cheeks.

"You should be very proud. It's not every day that a person has their artwork used for a Duel Monsters card." Yami said, handing them back to her.

Victoria shrugged, taking the cards. "I guess." She replied, staring blankly at the cards. She sighed. "Do you want them?" She asked.

Yami blinked. "What? Why?"

"I just…I think you'd find a better use for them than I would." Victoria replied. "And I can't imagine a better gift for everything that you have done for me since the day we met. Please, take them as a representation of my deepest gratitude."

Yami slowly took the cards back from her. "I'll add them to my deck." He replied, placing them onto the coffee table for the time being as Victoria opened her pad to a half finished sketch and continued to work.

. : . : . : .

Victoria settled into the Motou's lifestyle easily.

She gladly watched the minor league Duel Monster's tournament that was on, helped cook dinner and wash up afterwards and pack up as well. She then had a small tabletop duel with Yugi – losing miserably. She then watched while Yami duelled Yugi – sketching Christmas gifts as she did so.

Yami was already putting the cards she'd given him to good use and managed to beat Yugi, though it was still an intense challenge nonetheless.

It was effortless to be in their presence.

Whereas back at the Kaiba mansion where she'd lived for two years she felt out of place and usually lonely. Seto was always working and Mokuba was either at school or in his room working on his assignments. Here the house was small enough to be cosy and large enough for everyone to have a level of personal space.

True she had been visiting the Motou's for near over two months by this point, but there was something else about being the only guest and becoming a part of their small family. And she truly felt a part of it. When Grandpa wished them all a good night's sleep as he made his way to bed, he gently pet her shoulder as he passed her – something that she'd never really had before.

An elder truly respect her without another agenda.

When the three of them decided it was finally time for bed, Yami found a futon in the hallway closet and set it out on the floor where Téa had been sleeping the night before.

A slight nervousness settled on her when she realised that she was sleeping in a room with two guys – yet she didn't feel the need to sleep with one eye open like she would have in the past. Instead she felt oddly safer with them in the same room.

With a smile she allowed her eyes to close and she prepared for another terror filled slumber.

. : . : . : .

To her pleased amazement she woke with little nightmares through the night – Yami and Yugi's beds were empty and the light coming through the window was warm and golden.

The rain had stopped and she'd slept in. Two reasons for her to be smiling when she walked down the stairs showered and dressed for the new day. She felt immensely better after her long night sleep and the need to yawn was for once no longer nudging at her lungs. The guys weren't in the kitchen or the living room, though, which worried her for a long moment until she remembered them mentioning that they were rostered to work in the Game Shop that day.

She wandered through the entrance hall and the storage room, which had a door at the very end – she saw Yugi vanish through the entrance hall the night before saying he was going to the laundry, it must be back there. The house of the Motou's – though small – was still filled with random doors and hidden passages. She'd have to investigate them when she had the chance.

When she walked into the Game Shop she spotted the oddest occurrence she'd seen in a very long time.

"What the hell?"

Yami and Yugi both looked at her. Yugi was sitting on Yami's shoulders, reaching towards the ceiling with a star attached to a piece of looped string.

"What in the heck are you two doing?" She asked as Yami forced Yugi to stand down on the ground.

"We're trying to get a star hanging from that light there." Yugi explained, pointing to the inner peak of the ceiling where a light was indeed right in the centre.

She motioned to the perfectly good ladder standing by the counter. "And you can't use the ladder because?"

"It's too short." Yami explained. "We tried."

"Let me try." Victoria insisted, grabbing the ladder.

"Tori, you're shorter than I am, you won't reach it." Yami said, walking over and placing his hand on the ladder to keep her from picking it up.

"Then what should we do then?" Victoria asked, hands on her hips.

"Tori might reach it." Yugi suggested. "If she was on your shoulders, Yami."

Victoria and Yami shared a glance. Victoria shrugged. "It's worth a shot."

Yami sighed slightly and knelt to the ground, preparing for the unknown weight that Victoria might have upon his shoulders – she was light and he'd carried her before, but his arms and his shoulders were two different things. She carefully saddled his shoulders, avoiding his hair and accepted his hands to cling to as he stood up. She rocked lightly as he fixed the balance before Yugi handed her the star.

She was just able to touch the light with the tips of her fingers and hanging the star on it was a piece of cake. "There, I got it."

"Nice work, Tori." Yugi complimented.

Victoria smiled at him and patted Yami's head. "Good lifting, Yami. Now put me down."

"And if I don't want to?" Yami questioned, playfully.

"Yami." She warned.

Yami chuckled and slowly knelt down to the ground to allow her to slip off of his shoulders. "You were in too much of a compromising position. You could have hurt me."

"And I would have too." Victoria said with a playful glare.


	12. Chapter 11 Making Things Right

Chapter Eleven – Making Things Right

Two days later she'd gotten a text from Téa, pleading for a chance to apologise.

She asked if they could meet at the Motou's and then walk to a nearby café for lunch. Victoria had it in her right mind to decline the offer, but Yami took the phone and replied for her – much to Victoria's deep chagrin as she couldn't refuse now.

"I hate you." She muttered as she walked up the stairs to put on a pair of jeans to replace her daggy pyjama pants and threw a light grey jacket on over her plain brown t-shirt. She tugged on a pair of clean socks before she wandered back down the stairs and sat on the nearest lounge, crossing her arms and her legs.

Yami chuckled warmly at her antics as he worked on a new duelling strategy at the coffee table. "It'll be good for you. And you said yourself that you trust Téa with your life."

"Yeah…" Victoria agreed unwillingly with a pout.

She didn't have to sit there long, feeling the unbridled happiness Yami had over causing her such contempt for her situation. There was a knock on the door and she stood up, flicking Yami in the side of the head as she passed him. "I'll be home in an hour or two." She informed him, walking out to the entrance hall.

"Have fun." Yami farewelled with a soft laugh.

"Oh shut it." She muttered, slipping her boots on and opening the front door.

Téa looked up from scuffing her heels on the concrete. "Tori."

An awkward silence followed the statement and Victoria didn't know how she was supposed to break it. Thankfully, Téa took the lead.

"Come on. I have a lot of explaining to do." Téa said, taking Victoria's elbow and leading her out of the door. "I know the best place to eat, trust me."

"I thought I could trust you…" Victoria whispered.

Téa halted, her grip hesitating on Victoria's elbow. "You still can, Tori… Will you please let me explain?"

"Start now, if you don't mind." Victoria replied, falling into step beside Téa as they continued their advance towards the café.

"Hah, where do I begin?" Téa asked. "I've been working as Kaiba's secretary for a few months now and I don't know… I thought it would be rather difficult at first because he never had much of a tolerance for my presence when I was around Yugi and Yami. But to my surprise he was completely different. He treated me like any other employee – if anything he treated me almost better than them." She explained. "And as I got more shifts because of his other secretary dropping her shifts we… I don't know…we just got closer I guess…" She said, trailing off a little.

At that point they reached the café. It was small and rather empty so Victoria knew that she wouldn't have to endure the torture for too long – the food would be cooked twice as fast without other orders being placed before theirs. They were taken to a seat for two and Téa continued as they looked over their menus.

"Kaiba didn't really talk to me a lot. I'm sure you've noticed that unless it's in his best interest he's a man of little words. But when he did speak I couldn't help but notice that he is truly a sophisticated man." Téa complimented, causing Victoria to smile a little. She had noticed. "And intelligent beyond belief. I couldn't believe the things he came up with when he just sat in his office and made me type anything he said allowed." She sighed. "Tori, he never said a thing about you and not even Mokuba – though I can understand that."

"Why is that?" Victoria asked, feeling a pang in her chest. He'd never even mentioned her?

"If work took a heap of my life up then I wouldn't want to bring my family to work – I'd keep them at home where they should be. I'd keep them to myself, you know." Téa replied.

Victoria lowered her eyes to the menu, deciding to just pick something.

"Tori…I wish you had told me…I wouldn't have…I mean…"

Victoria sighed. "Do you love him?" She asked flatly. The question hurt her to ask, but it was important.

Téa looked down, fidgeting with the menu. "Well…he hasn't exactly given me a lot of room to work out if it is love or not, to be honest…he kind of pulled that stunt on me the other day when you walked in on us."

"Then work it out quickly. I'll accept it if it is love. If it is not then I will continue to be angry with the both of you." Victoria stated. "For that matter, Seto should seriously work out his feelings too…" She muttered, more thinking it to herself.

A waitress came to them then and they ordered their small meals and waited patiently until the waitress went back to the kitchens until Victoria continued.

Victoria sighed. "Just so you know, he's not exactly good at that so you may have to confront him."

"And you can't because…?"

"Because he didn't make a move on me, Téa." Victoria replied. "Confront him the next you see him and work out where his heart lies. If he was only taking advantage of you – and if that is the case I would have to find a way to dismantle him piece by piece – then I would suggest quitting your job. And I would suggest that even if your boss wasn't my brother."

"Yes, I have asked him to meet up with me later today."

"Another warning, when he dropped by the other day he seemed to genuinely think that what you have is a relationship." Victoria explained. "He said, and I quote: 'aren't you glad that I am in a relationship?'."

She was broken hearted, but there was a part of her – now that she was with her – that couldn't hate Téa. If anything, Téa had become an unsuspecting victim to her brother's hormones. That thought frightened her, but enough said being that her brother was still a man.

"He said that?..." Téa asked softly, blushing.

"So you like him?"

"Huh?"

"That question sounded hopeful."

Téa flushed deeper. "Well…I'm sure you agree that he's attractive. It's hard not to look at him and think that he'd be a great guy to date."

"Until he glares at you." Victoria contradicted.

Téa chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I've witnessed that." He agreed. "He's not always nice, but I've seen him with Mokuba before and I'm aware that a soft side exists."

"It'll be a while until he'll project that kindness to you. I'm afraid that I know by experience." Victoria explained. "But if Mokuba is fond of you he'll make more of an effort to be kind. He wouldn't want to make Mokuba mad at him.

"Well, I'm already on good terms with Mokuba. I've noticed that he's very different to Kaiba."

Victoria nodded in agreement.

Their food soon arrived and the conversation dissolved as the two girls focused their attention on the food on their plates. Victoria had run out of things to say already, she didn't know how long she would be able to last now that she was definitely going to be with Téa for at least another half hour or so. She hated awkward silences and it wasn't like she had anything in her life to share – Téa knew just about all of it already.

"Tori…I was wondering. How did you become Kaiba's sister? I figure that you're not actually related."

So the conversation was going down that path.

"I lived in an orphanage that Seto and Mokuba visited for some Kaiba Land advertising. They saw my talent and adopted me." Victoria summarized with a shrug. "There's not much more to it – not very exciting I'm afraid." She added, not wishing to go through the whole story when it wasn't truly necessary.

Yet it confused her that she could tell the entire story to Yami without a problem.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that you're an orphan. I guess that's something that you have in common with the Kaiba's, huh?"

"Yeah, sure." Victoria replied.

. : . : . : .

Victoria kicked off her shoes and fell to her knees in the entrance way. How could lunch out with a 'friend' be so exhausting?

After all the explaining had been said and done, the extra and unnecessary time left over had become nothing but awkward silences and failed attempts at conversations that went nowhere.

How did she go from having great conversations with Téa to having none at all? Yes, she was accepting Téa's relationship with her Brother, but her chest was still tight from the pain of missing her chance.

After her moment of melodramatic tiredness, she stood to her feet. "Guys!" She called, hanging her coat on a hook. "I'm back!"

She walked into the living room to see that they weren't there. She made a short interested sound and turned on her heel to check the Game Shop. Only Grandpa was there and he feinted some kind of innocence, claiming that he didn't know where they were. She frowned a little and decided to investigate their room.

They couldn't be anywhere else.

When she got to the top of the stairs and turned onto the landing, she saw Yami and Yugi standing in across the hallway, hands behind their backs and looking too sneaky. "What?..." Victoria asked, walking up to them.

"What?" Yugi asked.

"Don't reply to my question with a question. What are you two doing?" She demanded. "You're acting suspiciously." She added with a frown.

"Well, Tori. We've organised a little surprise for you." Yami replied. "And we nearly ran out of time." He admitted.

Victoria tilted her head to the side. "A surprise?"

Yami and Yugi nodded in unison and each took a hold of her elbows, leading her to the door just a door closer to their stairs from their own room. Victoria had noticed the door before, but hadn't really bothered to ask what was in there.

Yugi reached forward and turned the doorknob, swinging the door open and revealed an extra room. There was a single bed against the far wall, settled under the window and with a bedside table resting against the left wall. There was a desk against the wall to the right and beside it was a closet.

"What is this?" Victoria asked, looking at each of the Motou's.

"This room used to be full of storage and boxes filled with junk. Yami and I have been spending the last hour or so taking it all out. We vacuumed and cleaned everything up." Yugi replied.

"So that you could have room of your own." Yami added.

"Really? But… You didn't need to go to so much trouble." Victoria said, glancing into the room.

"It was nothing, Tori." Yami insisted. "The bed, desk and closet were already there. They just needed a good dusting and sheets needed changing."

"Look, just be a selfish person for once and say 'yay thank you' and get excited about making yourself at home, okay?" Yugi instructed, nudging her into the room, pushing a hand against the middle of her back. "We cleaned this room out as a favour, no need to be modest and reserved." He said with a wide smile.

Victoria smiled, turning back to the boys and decided that thanks were in order. She embraced Yugi. "Thanks, Yugi. I really appreciate it." When she pulled away, she discovered that Yugi was blushing. He immediately fled. Victoria giggled, but paused when Yami cleared his throat. "Hmm?" She asked, turning her gaze to him.

"Where's mine?" Yami teased, a hand resting on his hip.

Victoria smiled and without any more incentive, wrapped her arms securely around his waist, resting the side of her head against his shoulder. "Thanks Yami." She whispered, allowing his arms to curl around her and his chin to fall upon the top of her head.

"It was a true pleasure, Tori."

Victoria opened her mouth to speak again, but a tickling sensation rose in her nose and she pulled away, deeply breathing in, preparing for a sneeze. Her whole body coiled as the sneeze left her lungs, hands covering her mouth and nose in an attempt to hold it in. "Excuse me." She muttered, sniffling.

"Sorry, I must be covered in dust." Yami apologised, brushing his hands down his dark coloured shirt. He was right, he was covered in grey puffs of dust.

"Ew."

"It's just dust."

"Still, ew." Victoria teased.

Yami shook his head. "Well, Yugi and I bought your belongings in here so you can literally get yourself set up in here. There are coat hangers and such in the closet, as well as a built in chest of drawers."

"Okay, thank you."

. : . : . : .

Yami was comfortably back in his own bed – not that it was a problem for him to sleep on the floor, but it was certainly an improvement. Victoria was in her own room and he was glad that she'd been working on setting herself up in that room for several hours. A part of him wanted her to stay there for as long as possible. Though that was a selfish thought all in itself.

He woke in the middle of the night, staring towards Yugi's side of the room. He groaned tiredly and rolled to face the wall, hoping to capture sleep straight away, but a sound forced his eyes back open.

A terrified and muffled cry.

Yami threw his covers off himself and amazingly without waking Yugi, he ran out of the room and to Victoria's door. He knocked first, just to be polite – his reply was another cry so he just opened the door.

Victoria was arching her back off the mattress, clutching at her sheets with her fingernails. Her whole body was shaking as another cry burst from her lungs and she turned, her body flopping back onto the bed as tears slipped down her cheeks. Her hair was let out and it hung around her head in messy waves. She tossed her own body again. "No!" she cried. "How could you?"

Yami couldn't take much longer. He rushed up to her, kneeling one knee onto the side of the mattress and with both of his hands he shook her shoulders once she was on her back again. "Tori! Wake up!" He cried. "Tori!"

With a gasp her eyes snapped open, frightening Yami enough that he released her and sat down on the mattress like he was riding side saddle on a horse. Victoria lay on her back for an agonizing minute, panting deeply until her breathing began to return to a regular pace.

"Are you okay?" Yami asked softly.

Victoria's eyes closed at the question, fresh tears falling down the sides of her face and vanished into her hairline.

Yami leaned over her, desperate to hear an answer. "Tori?"

She slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at him, her eyes were glazed over like she was still asleep and it seemed that the sight of him set something off in her head. Without a warning she latched her arms around his neck and pulled him down onto her, causing him to cry out in surprise. Before he could detach her hold on him he felt her smooth lips press into the side of his neck, her hot breath coated his skin in a thin layer of sweat.

"Tori, w-what are you doing?" He asked, gulping deeply. He tried to pull away, but her hold was too strong – he was still groggy from sleep. She ran the tip of her tongue up to his earlobe and gently nibbled onto it. He tried to contain the moan that escaped his throat and the sound only seemed to encourage her.

He had to stop her.

"Victoria, please, you have to stop." Yami said, using all of his strength to sit upright and stand up. He took a step away from her when she sat up as well, tears of fear morphing into tears of rejection.

She glared at him. Something about it scared him and he took another step back. In response she stood to her feet, took a hold of his head and pulled him down to force an open mouthed kiss onto his lips – Yami gasped in surprise which made it easier for her. His better judgement began to fall weak to hte flutter of his heart and the fact that he now knew why kissing was such a big deal. It felt fantastic.

But he couldn't let her do this.

To avoid alerting her, he brought his hands up into her hair before trailing them down to her shoulders. Once he had a good hold on them he pushed her back and then took her hands into his grasp and held them tightly to prevent her from making any more surprise moves on him.

"I won't take advantage of you, Tori. I just won't." He stated, regaining his breath back. His lips were tingling and without thinking he ran his tongue over them to try and decrease the feeling.

Her eyes squinted shut and she sobbed pitifully. "I just wanna forget." She mumbled, her legs beginning to weaken.

"What do you wanna forget?" Yami asked gently, allowing her to fall into an embrace against his chest. He stroked her hair, running his fingers through the silken locks as she began to mumble against his shirt. "Tori, what did you want to forget? I can't you help unless you tell me."

She tilted her face from his shirt and whilst staring into the blackness of her room muttered. "I want to forget all about him. I just want to forget that he was ever in my life and that I ever felt for him. Why can't I get him out of my head?" She demanded desperately.

Yami let out a deep breath and led her over to her bed, seating them both down and scooted back to lean back against the wall beside the window. "Do you want to tell me about your dream?" He asked. The sooner the better.

"I'd rather not…"

"Tori, whatever happened in your dream caused you to practically attack me." Yami said. "I think it's a good time for you to begin coming clean about a lot of things."

Victoria looked away, grumbling. "It was just another nightmare, nothing I can't handle." Though she had to admit that the three nights without a nightmare had desensitised her and that nightmare had startled her more than she could have normally imagined.

"Another? How many have you been having?" Yami asked.

She mentally kicked herself. Now he was even more worried. And more to the point she was now even more embarrassed about the events that occurred just minutes earlier. What a stupid thing for her to do! "Not heaps…"

Yami sighed. "Tori, please."

"Yami, I have nightmares now and again and they always stem from my experiences as a child so I – " She gasped midsentence. Could it be? The face of the clown in her nightmares and what he had said before. Could it be that they had met before?

"Tori?"

"Yami… that guy I mentioned, the guy who attacked me the day I met Téa." She stated. "I'd met him before." She explained, trying to make the whole situation make sense to herself as well. "Back at the orphanage…"

Yami's eyes widened. "What? What are you saying, Tori?"

"Oh, he'd ever touched me." Victoria insisted, catching into what he was truly asking. "But…. I remember now… I was the one who caught him and I called the police because the teachers didn't believe me…" She said, her voice drowning down to a trance like state. "He'd been looking for me… And he's been in my dreams because my mind knew what he was after."

Yami's embraced tightened from being an affectionate to a protective. "He's kept hidden away now. Nothing can hurt you. Not while I'm here."

"And my mind knew that too. I had no nightmares those days I slept in the same room as you. It's like you ward off the memories." Victoria replied with a small smile.

Yami smiled in return, feeling warmth in his heart at her words.

The beat of her heart increased to an unimagined rate and she instantly felt lightheaded from the intensity of his gaze. She flushed, looking away. She needed to make some other kind of conversation.

"Hey, Yami?"

"Hmm?"

"You were a Pharaoh right?"

"Yes." He replied, wondering where she was headed.

"No offense, but 'Yami' doesn't really seem like an Egyptian name."

"It's not."

"Could you tell me your Egyptian name?"

His smile returned. "It's Atem."

A smile grew over her lips. "That's a wonderful name. Why don't you use it more often?"

Yami chuckled. "It's locking away an evil force – someone might try to unleash it."

"Oh I see. So it's strictly need to know basis only?"

"Basically. I decided to call myself Yami for the legal papers and such that we kind of had to have faked in order for me to exist in this time." Yami explained.

"Ooooh, so you're an illegal immigrant?" Victoria gasped dramatically.

The shock on Yami's face caused her to laugh, holding a hand over her mouth to try and muffle the sound.

"I'm sorry, but that face was just so funny." Victoria said through her laughter.

He had no reply, but he smiled, chuckled lightly and managed to catch her off guard with a glimpse at his eyes as they sparkled in the dim light shining in from the window.

"And… I'm sorry for 'attacking' you before." She added, looking away and flushing at the memory.

Yami sat back against the wall. "Well, I have to say, it wasn't really an 'attack', per se. I'd call it 'an unexpected projection of fright and sorrow'." He said. "And I admit… it was rather pleasant." He admitted, looking away.

"Uuum…. you're welcome?"

He laughed. "Don't worry about it. We all do things that don't really turn out right."

"Then next time I'll just have to make sure I do it right, wont I?"

The pair froze as she finished the sentence, realising just what she had said.

She slapped both hands over her mouth and turned away, her face continuing to burn.

Yami chuckled, bringing his fingers to her chin and directed her eyes to look into his. "Tori…you're such a wonderful person."

"What?"

"Well, you're sweet and funny. You speak your mind and you can handle Joey's crazy antics." Yami explained. "I guess I find these qualities very…admirable." He added, pausing as he tried to find the right word.

"Only admirable?" Victoria asked.

"Were you expecting something else?" Yami asked in response.

"Maybe a little…" She admitted, flickering her eyes away from his.

Yami smiled. "Perhaps…I could help you this time?" He suggested.

Victoria's eyes met his, heart pounding and her lips parted, anticipating the moment that she could taste him again. She had no words; she just wanted him to make the move.

And in no time he complied, with his head slightly tilted to the side he descended his lips upon hers. The fingers holding her chin trailed along her jaw line and he cupped the back of her head with his hand, tangling his fingers into her hair.

He'd already decided: this was their true first kiss.

"I love you."

**The End**

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><p>Thanks to everyone for the reviews and support~! I really appreciate it ^_^<p> 


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